ACC deaminase activity was determined by measuring the production of -ketobutyrate
generated by the cleavage of ACC by ACC deaminase (Honma and Shimomura 1978; Penrose
and Glick 2003). The induced bacterial cells were harvested by centrifugation for 10 min at
10,000 g, washed twice with 0.1 M Tris-HCl (pH 7.5), and resuspended in 200 μL of 0.1 M
Tris-HCl (pH 8.5). The cells were labilized by adding 5% toluene (v/v) and then vortexed at the
highest speed for 30 seconds. Fifty μL of labilized cell suspension was incubated with 5 μL of 0.5