OxdA shows an absorption spectrum with a Soret peak that is characteristic of heme, demonstrating that it is a hemoprotein. For its activity, this enzyme required a reducing reagent, Na 2 S 2 O 4 , but did not require FMN, which is crucial for the Bacillus enzyme. The enzymatic reaction was found to be catalyzed when the heme iron of the enzyme was in the ferrous state. Calcium as well as iron was included in the enzyme. OxdA reduced by Na 2 S 2 O 4 had a molecular mass of 76.2 kDa and consisted of two identical subunits. The kinetic parameters of OxdA indicated that aliphatic aldoximes are more effective substrates than aromatic aldoximes. A variety of spectral shifts in the absorption spectra of OxdA were observed upon the addition of each of various compounds (i.e. redox reagents and heme ligands). Moreover, the addition of the substrate to OxdA gave a peak that would be derived from the intermediate in the nitrile synthetic reaction. P. chlororaphis B23 grew and showed the OxdA activity when cultured in a medium containing aldoxime as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. Together with these findings, Western blotting analysis of the extracts using anti-OxdA antiserum revealed that OxdA is responsible for the metabolism of aldoxime in vivo in this strain.

Streptomycetes produce useful enzymes and a wide variety of secondary metabolites with potent biological activities (e.g., antibiotics, immunosuppressors, pesticides, etc.). Despite their importance in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical fields, there have been no reports for practical expression systems in streptomycetes. Here, we developed a ''PnitA-NitR'' system for regulatory gene expression in streptomycetes based on the expression mechanism of Rhodococcus rhodochrous J1 nitrilase, which is highly induced by an inexpensive and safe inducer, -caprolactam. Heterologous protein expression experiments demonstrated that the system allowed suppressed basal expression and hyper-inducible expression, yielding target protein levels of as high as Ϸ40% of all soluble protein. Furthermore, the system functioned in important streptomycete strains. Thus, the P nitA-NitR system should be a powerful tool for improving the productivity of various useful products in streptomycetes.