Characterization of the Caulobacter crescentus holdfast polysaccharide biosynthesis pathway reveals significant redundancy in the initiating glycosyltransferase and polymerase steps.

ABSTRACT: Caulobacter crescentus cells adhere to surfaces by using an extremely strong polar adhesin called the holdfast. The polysaccharide component of the holdfast is comprised in part of oligomers of N-acetylglucosamine. The genes involved in the export of the holdfast polysaccharide and the anchoring of the holdfast to the cell were previously discovered. In this study, we identified a cluster of polysaccharide biosynthesis genes (hfsEFGH) directly adjacent to the holdfast polysaccharide export genes. Sequence analysis indicated that these genes are involved in the biosynthesis of the minimum repeat unit of the holdfast polysaccharide. HfsE is predicted to be a UDP-sugar lipid-carrier transferase, the glycosyltransferase that catalyzes the first step in polysaccharide biosynthesis. HfsF is pred

SUBMITTER: Toh E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2580695 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature