Deduced products of C4-dicarboxylate transport regulatory genes of Rhizobium leguminosarum are homologous to nitrogen regulatory gene products.

We have sequenced two genes dctB and dctD required for the activation of the C4-dicarboxylate transport structural gene dctA in free-living Rhizobium leguminosarum. The hydropathic profile of the dctB gene product (DctB) suggested that its N-terminal region may be located in the periplasm and its C-terminal region in the cytoplasm. The C-terminal region of DctB was strongly conserved with similar regions of the products of several regulatory genes that may act as environmental sensors, including ntrB, envZ, virA, phoR, cpxA, and phoM.

Molecular cloning and genetic organization of C4-dicarboxylate transport genes from Rhizobium leguminosarum.

Cosmids containing C4-dicarboxylate transport (dct) genes were identified from a gene bank of Rhizobium leguminosarum DNA made in the broad-host-range vector pLAFR1 by their ability to complement R. trifolii dct mutants. The dct genes were further characterized by subcloning, restriction site mapping, and transposon Tn5 and Tn7 mutageneses.