CLONING, NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE AND EXPRESSION OF A BETA-LACTAMASE GENE FROM STREPTOMYCES-LAVENDULAE

A hybridized DNA fragment was cloned as a 7.6-kb fragment from Strepto myces lavendulae KCCS0263 using a 1.9-kb SacI- XbaI DNA fragment from S. cellulosae as a probe. The latter fragment encoded a beta-lactamase which can bind blue dextran. The hybridized region was reduced to a 2 .8-kb KpnI-BclI fragment and the nucleotide sequence was determined. T he nucleotide sequence indicated one open reading frame whose amino ac id sequence is very similar to that of the beta-lactamase from S. cell ulosae. The gene produced beta-lactamase enzyme at a low but significa nt amount.