Molecular Characterization and Sequence Analysis of Trehalose Biosynthesis Genes in Escherichia coli

Abstract

Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide is a major compatible solute, maintains fluidity of membranes and protects the biological structure of the organisms under stress. In this study, trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP) genes encoding for trehalose biosynthesis were PCR amplified from genomic DNA of Escherichia coli isolated from Rohu (Labeo rohita) collected from local fish market of Cochin, Kerala, India. The amplified genes were cloned and nucleotide sequences were determined. The sequencing results showed that (TPS) and (TPP) genes contain1,424 bp and 801 bp long ORF encoding 474 and 266 amino acids respectively. In silico sequence analysis revealed that the (TPS) and (TPP) sequences of E. coli were conserved in many eubacteria.