NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE OF AN ENDO-BETA-1,4-GLUCANASE GENE FROM BACILLUS-SUBTILIS CK-2

The gene encoding endo-beta-1,4-glucanase in Bacillus subtilis CK-2 wa s cloned into Escherichia coli DH5 alpha, and the nucleotide sequence determined. The 1500 bp gene encodes a protein of 499 amino-acid resid ues with a calculated molecular mass of 55 261, and is equipped with a typical B. subsilis signal peptide. Nucleotide sequence comparison re vealed only 2 basepairs deviation between this gene and the endo-beta- 1,4-glucanase gene of B. subtilis PAP115, and 93% to 95% homology was found between the amino acid sequences of these enzymes and other B. s ubtilis endo-beta-1,4-glucanases. Regions of similarity were also obse rved between the carboxy-terminal part of these enzymes and the part o f the B. lautus PL236 celA enzyme constituting the cellulose-binding d omain.