The structure of DesR from Streptomyces venezuelae, a β-glucosidase involved in macrolide activation.

ABSTRACT: Antibiotics have, indeed, altered the course of human history as is evidenced by the increase in human life expectancy since the 1940s. Many of these natural compounds are produced by bacteria that, by necessity, must have efficient self-resistance mechanisms. The methymycin/pikromycin producing species Streptomyces venezuelae, for example, utilizes β-glucosylation of its macrolide products to neutralize their effects within the confines of the cell. Once released into the environment, these compounds are activated by the removal of the glucose moiety. In S. venezuelae, the enzyme responsible for removal of the sugar from the parent compound is encoded by the desR gene and referred to as DesR. It is a secreted enzyme containing 828 amino acid residues, and it is known to be a retaining gly

SUBMITTER: Zmudka MW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3719083 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature