Characterization and Phylogeny of the pfp Gene of Amycolatopsis methanolica Encoding PPi-Dependent Phosphofructokinase

The actinomycete Amycolatopsis methanolica employs a PPi-dependent phosphofructokinase (PPi-PFK) (EC 2.7.1.90) with biochemical characteristics similar to those of both ATP- and PPi-dependent enzymes during growth on glucose. A 2.3-kb PvuII fragment hybridizing to two oligonucleotides based on the amino-terminal amino acid sequence of PPi-PFK was isolated from a genomic library of A. methanolica. Nucleotide sequence analysis of this fragment revealed the presence of an open reading frame encoding a protein of 340 amino acids with a high degree of similarity to PFK proteins. Heterologous expression of this open reading frame in Escherichia coli gave rise to a unique 45-kDa protein displaying a high level of PPi-PFK activity. The open reading frame was therefore designated pfp, encoding the PPi-PFK of A. methanolica. Upstream and transcribed divergently from pfp, a partial open reading frame (aroA) similar to 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase-encoding genes was identified. The partial open reading frame (chiA) downstream from pfp was similar to chitinase genes from Streptomyces species. A phylogenetic analysis of the ATP- and PPi-dependent proteins showed that PPi-PFK enzymes are monophyletic, suggesting that the two types of PFK evolved from a common ancestor.