Endolysins of Bacillus anthracis bacteriophages recognize unique carbohydrate epitopes of vegetative cell wall polysaccharides with high affinity and selectivity.

ABSTRACT: Bacteriophages express endolysins which are the enzymes that hydrolyze peptidoglycan resulting in cell lysis and release of bacteriophages. Endolysins have acquired stringent substrate specificities, which have been attributed to cell wall binding domains (CBD). Although it has been realized that CBDs of bacteriophages that infect Gram-positive bacteria target cell wall carbohydrate structures, molecular mechanisms that confer selectivity are not understood. A range of oligosaccharides, derived from the secondary cell wall polysaccharides of Bacillus anthracis, has been chemically synthesized. The compounds contain an α-d-GlcNAc-(1→4)-β-d-ManNAc-(1→4)-β-d-GlcNAc backbone that is modified by various patterns of α-d-Gal and β-d-Gal branching points. The library of compounds could readily be

SUBMITTER: Mo KF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3489029 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature