Identification and expression of the genes encoding a reactivating factor for adenosylcobalamin-dependent glycerol dehydratase

Adenosylcobalamin-dependent glycerol dehydratase undergoes inactivation by glycerol, the physiological substrate, during catalysis. In permeabilized cells of Klebsiella pneumoniae, the inactivated enzyme is reactivated in the presence of ATP, Mg²⁺, and adenosylcobalamin. We identified the two open reading frames as the genes for a reactivating factor for glycerol dehydratase and designated them gdrA and gdrB. The reactivation of the inactivated glycerol dehydratase by the gene products was confirmed in permeabilized recombinant Escherichia coli cells coexpressing GdrA and GdrB proteins with glycerol dehydratase.