We have cloned a gene encoding an aldehyde oxidase (ALOD) oxidized glyoxal but not glyoxylic acid from Pseudomonas sp. AIU 362. The ALOD gene contained an open reading frame consisting of 888 nucleotides corresponding to 295 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence exhibited a high similarity to those of 3-hydroxyisobutyrate dehydrogenases (3-HIBDHs). We expressed the cloned gene as an active product in Escherichia coli BL21 cells. The productivity (total units per culture broth volume) of the recombinant ALOD expressed in E. coli BL21 was 20,000-fold higher than that of ALOD in Pseudomonas sp. AIU 362. The recombinant ALOD exhibited ALOD activity and 3-HIBDH activity. The 3-HIBDH from Pseudomonas putida KT2440 also exhibited ALOD activity. Thus, the ALOD from Pseudomonas sp. AIU 362 and 3-HIBDH from P. putida KT2440 were classified into the same enzyme group.
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