Purification and properties of threonine deaminase from the X-1 isolate of the genus Thermus.

Threonine deaminase (l-threonine dehydratase EC 4.2.1.16) has been partially purified from a new extreme thermophilic bacterium, Thermus X-1, which is similar to T. aquaticus YT-1. The threonine deaminase of strain X-1 has a maximal rate of reaction at 85 to 90 C and is more thermostable than the threonine deaminase from mesophilic bacteria. The enzyme has an apparent molecular weight of 100,000 to 115,000, a K(m) for l-threonine of 14 mM, a pH optimum of 8.0, and like other threonine deaminases also catalyzes the deamination of serine. However the Thermus X-1 threonine deaminase does not show a strong feedback inhibition by isoleucine. It is suggested that the regulation of the biosynthesis of isoleucine in this extreme theromophile may resemble that reported in Rodospirillum rubrum.