CHARACTERIZATION OF THE GENE ENCODING THE GLUTAMIC-ACID-SPECIFIC PROTEASE OF STREPTOMYCES-GRISEUS

The complete gene sequence (sprE) for the glutamic-acid-specific serin e protease (SGPE) of the gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces griseus is reported. The sprE gene encodes a 355 amino, acid pre-pro-mature en zyme. The presence of a glutamic acid residue at the junction of the p ro and mature segments of the protein suggests that the enzyme is self -processing. SGPE was found to have extensive homology with the S. gri seus proteases A and B. However, there is an additional segment to the pro region of SGPE, lacking in proteases A and B, which has significa nt homology to the pro region of the alpha-lytic protease of the gram- negative bacterium Lysobacter enzymogenes. Expression of recombinant S GPE in Bacillus subtilis is also reported, and the enzyme is shown to be self-processing.