Rhodococcus sp. NCIMB 9784 accumulated 6-
endo-hydroxycamphor
3 when grown on (1
R)-(+)-camphor
1 as sole carbon source. The structure of
3 has been unambiguously assigned for the first time using X-ray crystallography. A soluble cytochrome P450 hydroxylase, induced
by growth on (1
R)-(+)-camphor and designated P450
camr, has been isolated from the bacterium
Rhodococcus sp. NCIMB 9784. Using authentic 6-
endo hydroxycamphor as standard, a cell-free system consisting of pure P450
camr and putidaredoxin and putidaredoxin reductase from
Pseudomonas putida confirmed that the enzyme hydroxylates (1
R)-(+)-camphor specifically in the 6-
endo position, in contrast to the 5-
exo hydroxylation catalysed by the well-studied P450
cam from
P. putida. P450
camr has a molecular mass of approximately 44 kDa, and a pI of 4.8.
Electronic Publication