Abstract

Nonulosonic acid (NulO) biosynthesis in bacteria is directed by nab gene clusters that can lead to neuraminic, legionaminic or pseudaminic acids. Analysis of the gene content from a set mainly composed of Aliivibrio salmonicida and Moritella viscosa strains reveals the existence of several unique nab clusters, for which the NulO products were predicted.This prediction method can be used to guide tandem mass spectrometry studies in order to verify the products of previously undescribed nab clusters and identify new members of the NulOs family.

Highlights

  • Nonulosonic acid (NulO) biosynthesis in bacteria is directed by nab gene clusters that can lead to neuraminic, legionaminic or pseudaminic acids

  • The NeuB homologs catalyze the key reaction of NulO biosynthesis, the condensation of a hexosamine precursor with pyruvate leading to either neuraminic acids (Neu), Leg, or pseudaminic acid (Pse)

  • This study investigated the nab clusters from a set of bacteria from the Vibrionaceae and Moritellaceae families, based on the sequence comparison of their NeuB homologs

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Summary

Introduction

Nonulosonic acid (NulO) biosynthesis in bacteria is directed by nab gene clusters that can lead to neuraminic, legionaminic or pseudaminic acids. The most common bacterial NulOs are tetradeoxynonulosonic acids, neuraminic acids are found and one instance of a trideoxy-compound has been reported ­recently[3, 4] They are specific to bacteria and are displayed on the bacterial cell surface as parts of the capsule, flagella, lipopolysaccharide and ­pili[3, 5,6,7,8,9]. NulOs from pathogenic bacteria play a central role in host-pathogen interactions Their structure mimics that of host neuraminic acids, which enables them to bind to the Siglecs (Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-type lectins) of host immune c­ ells[17, 18]. NulOs are synthetized by three main pathways (Nonulosonic Acid Biosynthesis, or NAB)[24], leading to Neu, Leg and Pse related compounds.

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