Nucleotide sequence of the lipase gene lip3 from the antarctic psychotroph Moraxella TA144.

A lipase gene (lip3) from the psychotrophic strain Moraxella TA144 has been cloned and sequenced. The deduced primary structure of the lipase preprotein is composed of 315 amino acids with a predicted Mr of 34,772. This enzyme contains two consensus peptides showing cluster of glycine residues that may be involved in domain flexibility. The cloned gene product conserves the low temperature activity and the thermolability properties of the wild enzyme.