Transcription of the ectoine biosynthesis genes ectA, ectB and ectC from Marinococcus halophilus in recombinant Escherichia coli DH5α is probably initiated from three individual σ 70 /σ A -dependent promoter sequences, upstream of each gene. Consequently, mRNA-fragments containing the single genes and combinations of the genes ectA and ectB or ectB and ectC, respectively, could be detected by Northern blot analysis. Under the control of its own regulatory promoter region (ectUp) a seemingly osmoregulated ectoine production was observed. In addition, aspartate kinases were identified as the main limiting factor for ectoine production in recombinant E. coli DH5α. Coexpression of the ectoine biosynthesis genes and of the gene of the feedback-resistant aspartate kinase from Corynebacterium glutamicum MH20-22B (lysC) led to markedly increased production of ectoine in E. coli DH5α, resulting in cytoplasmic ectoine concentrations comparable to those reached via ectoine accumulation from the medium.
A 480-bp Marinococcus halophilus DNA-fragment upstream of the ectoine genes ectABC was linked to the reporter gene gfp(uv) in the stress probe plasmid pBRGFP(uv). On the basis of green fluorescence emitted after application of different types of stress to recombinant Escherichia coli, the DNA sequence was characterized as a stress-responding promoter region. In E. coli, osmotic stress resulted in an increasing fluorescence intensity, whereas the effects of heat or cold were insignificant, suggesting that transcription and/or translation is controlled mainly by an osmotic stress/low-water stress response. Additionally, the stress-counteracting effects of the compatible solutes ectoine and betaine were demonstrated.
Anaerobic treatment of Zn(tmeda)Br2, where tmeda denotes N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylethylenediamine, with a solution of Na(TeAr), sodium aryltellurolate, in ethanol in a 1:2 stoichiometry led to the formation of highly air sensitive Zn(tmeda)(TeAr)2 (1–3), while a 1:1 stoichiometry afforded Zn(tmeda)Br(TeAr) (4). Crystallography revealed all complexes to be monomeric with four coordinate central zinc atoms bound to tmeda and two TeAr, or a TeAr and a Br ligand. Upon mixing two symmetrically substituted Zn(tmeda)(TeAr)2 complexes in solution, 125Te NMR revealed a facile ligand exchange providing Zn(tmeda)(TeAr)(TeAr′). In addition, Zn(tmeda)(TeAr)(TeAr′) complexes form on mixing symmetric Zn(tmeda)(TeAr)2 complexes and (TeAr′)2. The lability of the zinc complexes was put to advantage in ligand‐substitution reactions wherein treatment of SnCl4 with Zn(tmeda)(TeAr)2 affords Sn(TeAr)4 in excellent yields without the concurrent formation of the redox product (TeAr)2. The apparent lability of the Zn–Te bond prevented the volatilization of 1–3 for their use as chemical vapor deposition precursors for the fabrication of ZnTe thin films. On heating, to volatize the complexes, the complexes decompose to cubic ZnTe and TeAr2 sublimes from the samples. Thermal gravimetric analysis indicates the loss of tmeda followed by the loss of TeAr2.
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