Nucleotide sequence of the structural gene encoding a 2-haloalkanoic acid dehalogenase of Pseudomonas putida strain AJ1 and purification of the encoded protein.

The nucleotide sequence of a gene encoding an L-2-haloalkanoic acid halidohydrolase from Pseudomonas putida strain AJ1 was determined. The ORF (hadL) codes for a polypeptide of 227 amino acids (Mr 25,687) which has significant homology to two other L-2-haloalkanoic acid halidohydrolases of Pseudomonas sp., DehcI and DehcII; these show 38% and 51% amino acid identity respectively to HadL. All three enzymes produce products of an opposite optical configuration to that of the substrates. Comparison of the three sequences shows several highly conserved motifs which indicate the possible position of the enzyme active site. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity and appears to exist as a tetramer.