Involvement of the yciW gene in L-cysteine and L-methionine metabolism in Escherichia coli

We here analyzed a sulfur index of Escherichia coli using LC-MS/MS combined with thiol-specific derivatization by monobromobimane. The obtained sulfur index was then applied to evaluate the L-cysteine producer. E. coli cells overexpressing the yciW gene, a novel Cys regulon, accumulated L-homocysteine, suggesting that YciW is involved in L-methionine biosynthesis. (C) 2014, The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. All rights reserved.