Identification of two-component regulatory genes involved in o-xylene degradation by Rhodococcus sp. strain DK17

Putative genes for a two-component signal transduction system (akbS and akbT) were detected near the alkylbenzene-degrading operon of Rhodococcus sp. DK17. Sequence analysis indicates that AkbS possesses potential ATP-binding and histidine autophosphorylation sites in the N- and C-terminal regions, respectively, and that AkbT has a typical response regulator domain. Mutant analysis combined with RT-PCR experiments further shows that AkbS is required to induce the expression of o-xylene dioxygenase in DK17.