Structural basis of substrate binding in WsaF, a rhamnosyltransferase from Geobacillus stearothermophilus.

ABSTRACT: Carbohydrate polymers are medically and industrially important. The S-layer of many Gram-positive organisms comprises protein and carbohydrate polymers and forms an almost paracrystalline array on the cell surface. Not only is this array important for the bacteria but it has potential application in the manufacture of commercially important polysaccharides and glycoconjugates as well. The S-layer glycoprotein glycan from Geobacillus stearothermophilus NRS 2004/3a is mainly composed of repeating units of three rhamnose sugars linked by alpha-1,3-, alpha-1,2-, and beta-1,2-linkages. The formation of the beta-1,2-linkage is catalysed by the enzyme WsaF. The rational use of this system is hampered by the fact that WsaF and other enzymes in the pathway share very little homology to other enzyme

SUBMITTER: Steiner K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3898925 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature