Isolation and sequencing of the Alcaligenes denitrificans azurin-encoding gene: comparison with the genes encoding blue copper proteins from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Alcaligenes faecalis.

The gene (azu) encoding azurin from Alcaligenes denitrificans has been cloned and sequenced. The gene codes for a pre-protein with a 19-aa signal peptide. Comparison with the sequences coding for the blue copper proteins from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Alcaligenes faecalis reveals the presence of ntrA and fnr boxes in front of all three genes, instead of a regular [-10, -35]-promoter. In P. aeruginosa, the azu gene is terminated by a bidirectional terminator and flanked by open reading frames on the opposite strand.