Large-scale production of citrate synthase from a cloned gene.

Starting with a colicin E1 resistance recombinant plasmid which contains gltA, the gene for citrate synthase in Escherichia coli, we have constructed an ampicillin-resistance plasmid containing the gltA region as a 2.9-kilobase-pair insert in the tetracycline-resistance region of pBR322. Escherichia coli HB101 harbouring this plasmid, when grown on rich medium containing ampicillin, contains citrate synthase as about 8% of its soluble protein. The enzyme has been purified from this rich source and is identical to the chromosomal enzyme prepared previously in every property tested, except for specific activity, which is 64 U . mg-1 as compared with 45-50 U . mg-1 previously obtained. The N-terminal sequences of both enzymes are reported, and they are identical up to residue 16 at least. The overall yield of pure enzyme, starting with the cells grown in 15 L of medium, is 600-800 mg.