Evidence for a holin-like protein gene fully embedded out of frame in the endolysin gene of Staphylococcus aureus bacteriophage 187.

ABSTRACT: We have cloned, sequenced, and characterized the genes encoding the lytic system of the unique Staphylococcus aureus phage 187. The endolysin gene ply187 encodes a large cell wall-lytic enzyme (71.6 kDa). The catalytic site, responsible for the hydrolysis of staphylococcal peptidoglycan, was mapped to the N-terminal domain of the protein by the expression of defined ply187 domains. This enzymatically active N terminus showed convincing amino acid sequence homology to an N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase, whereas the C-terminal part, whose function is unknown, revealed striking relatedness to major staphylococcal autolysins. An additional reading frame was identified entirely embedded out of frame (+1) within the 5' region of ply187 and was shown to encode a small, hydrophobic protein of h

SUBMITTER: Loessner MJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC103572 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature