Cloning of purine nucleoside phosphorylase II gene from Bacillus stearothermophilus TH 6-2 and characterization of its gene product.

Bacillus stearothermophilus TH 6-2 has two kinds of purine nucleoside phosphorylases (Pu-NPases). The type I enzyme (Pu-NPase I) is a functional and structural homolog of eukaryotic purine nucleoside phosphorylases that catalyze the phosphorolysis of inosine, guanosine, and their derivatives. The type II enzyme (Pu-NPase II) is a minor enzyme that efficiently phosphorolyzes adenosine and its derivatives rather than other purine nucleosides like Escherichia coli Pu-NPase. The gene coding for Pu-NPase II (punB gene) has been cloned and sequenced from TH 6-2 strain. The deduced amino acid sequence of Pu-NPase II shared 54% identity with that of E. coli enzyme, while it had no significant homology to that of Pu-NPase I or eukaryotic enzymes. By producing the Pu-NPase II in E. coli cells, the Pu-NPase II has been purified and characterized.