Functional expression and characterization of eryA, the erythritol kinase of Brucella abortus, and enzymatic synthesis of -Erythritol-4-phosphate

The eryA gene of the bacterial pathogen Brucella abortus has been functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. The resultant EryA was shown to catalyze the ATP-dependent conversion of erythritol to -erythritol-4-phosphate ( -E4P). The steady state kinetic parameters of this reaction were determined and the enzyme was used to prepare -E4P which was shown to be a weak inhibitor of 2-C-methyl- -erythritol-4-phosphate cytidyltransferase (YgbP).