Purification and characterization of an active N- Acetylglucosaminyltransferase enzyme complex from streptococci

Ren Wu, Meixian Zhou, Hui Wu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

A new family of bacterial serine-rich repeat glycoproteins can function as adhesins required for biofilm formation and pathogenesis in streptococci and staphylococci. Biogenesis of these proteins depends on a gene cluster coding for glycosyltransferases and accessory secretion proteins. Previous studies show that Fap1, a member of this family from Streptococcus parasanguinis, can be glycosylated by a protein glycosylation complex in a recombinant heterogeneous host. Here we report a tandem affinity purification (TAP) approach used to isolate and study protein complexes from native streptococci. This method demonstrated that a putative glycosyltransferase (Gtf2), which is essential for Fap1 glycosylation, readily copurified with another glycosyltransferase (Gtf1) from native S. parasanguinis. This result and the similar isolation of a homologous twoprotein complex from Streptococcus pneumoniae indicate the biological relevance of the complexes to the glycosylation in streptococci. Furthermore, novel N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity was discovered for the complexes. Optimal activity required heterodimer formation and appears to represent a novel type of glycosylation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)7966-7971
Number of pages6
JournalApplied and Environmental Microbiology
Volume76
Issue number24
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2010
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology
  • Food Science
  • Biotechnology
  • Ecology

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