Localization and functional analysis of structural and regulatory dehalogenase genes carried on DEH from Pseudomonas putida PP3

The mobile genetic element DEH, which contains a dehalogenase function, was genetically characterized. Insertional mutagenesis and subcloning experiments localized the dehalogenase gene (dehI) within DEH, while transformation experiments showed that the intact element expressed dehI in both Pseudomonas putida and Escherichia coli. The direction of transcription was determined, and was found to be regulated by an activator gene designated as dehR(sub 1). The activator is constitutively expressed and interacts with inducers such as 2-monochloropropionate and monochloroacetate to activate dehI expression.