Rewiring the pneumococcal capsule pathway for investigating glycosyltransferase specificity and genetic glycoengineering.

ABSTRACT: Virtually all living cells are covered with glycans. Their structures are primarily controlled by the specificities of glycosyltransferases (GTs). GTs typically adopt one of the three folds, namely, GT-A, GT-B, and GT-C. However, what defines their specificities remain poorly understood. Here, we developed a genetic glycoengineering platform by reprogramming the capsular polysaccharide pathways in Streptococcus pneumoniae to interrogate GT specificity and manipulate glycan structures. Our findings suggest that the central cleft of GT-B enzymes is important for determining acceptor specificity. The constraint of the glycoengineering platform was partially alleviated when the specificity of the precursor transporter was reduced, indicating that the transporter contributes to the overa

SUBMITTER: Su T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10482335 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature