Abstract
The in vitro biosynthesis of teichuronic acid, the cell wall polysaccharide of Micrococcus lysodeikticus, occurs in two stages. In the initial stage, the particulate enzyme fraction utilizes uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) and uridine diphosphate N-acetylmannosaminuronic acid (UDP-ManNAcUA) to form three intermediates. N-Acetylglucosamine is transferred from UDP-GlcNAc to a carrier lipid present in the particulate enzyme fraction to form the first intermediate, GlcNAc carrier lipid. N-Acetylmannosaminuronic acid is then transferred from UDP-ManNAcUA to the GlcNAc carrier lipid to form ManNAcUA-GlcNAc carrier lipid, the second intermediate. Finally, the transfer of an additional N-acetylmannosaminuronic acid residue from UDP-ManNAcUA yields the third intermediate, (ManNAcUA)2-GlcNAc carrier lipid. Reactions involving UDP-ManNAcUA release uridine diphosphate. Concomitant synthesis of peptidoglycan or membrane mannan inhibits the synthesis of the teichuronic acid intermediates, thereby providing indirect evidence that the carrier lipid is undecaprenol monophosphate.
Highlights
The in vitro biosynthesis of teichuronic acid, the cell wall polysaccharide of Micrococcus lysodeikticus, occurs in two stages
This paper shows that the in vitro biosynthesis of teichuronic acid occurs in two stages
If the particulate enzyme is incubated for 30 min in the presence of UDP-GlcNAc and UDP-ManNAcUA, the subsequent addition of UDP-glucose results in the immediate initiation of glucose incorporation into the polysaccharide
Summary
This is Part III of the series, “Biosynthesis of the Polysaccharide of Micrococcus lysodeikticus Cell Walls.”. B Present address, Simpson Memorial Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich 48109. Lj Present address, Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa 52242. Uridine diphosphate N-acetyl-n-glucosamine, UDP-N-acetyl-bmannosaminuronic acid, and UDP-&glucose are required for in vitro biosynthesis of a polysaccharide, presumably teichuronic acid, by a particulate enzyme fraction from. This paper shows that the in vitro biosynthesis of teichuronic acid occurs in two stages. The second stage reactions involve the transfer of glucose from UDP-glucose and N-acetylmannosaminuronic acid from UDP-ManNAcUA onto the
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