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J. Bacteriol., 07 1996, 3869-3876, Vol 178, No. 13
DV Debabov, MP Heaton, Q Zhang, KD Stewart, RH Lambalot and FC Neuhaus
The incorporation of D-alanine into membrane-associated D-alanyl-
lipoteichoic acid in Lactobacillus casei requires the 56-kDa D-alanine-
D-alanyl carrier protein ligase (Dcl) and the 8.9-kDa D-alanyl carrier
protein (Dcp). To identify and isolate the gene encoding Dcp, we have
cloned and sequenced a 4.3-kb chromosomal fragment that contains dcl
(dltA). In addition to this gene, the fragment contains three other genes,
dltB, d1tC, and a partial dltD gene. dltC (246 nucleotides) was subcloned
from this region and expressed in Escherichia coli. The product was
identified as apo-Dcp lacking the N-terminal methionine (8,787.9 Da). The
in vitro conversion of the recombinant apo-Dcp to holo-Dcp by recombinant
E. coli holo-ACP synthase provided Dcp which accepts activated D-alanine in
the reaction catalyzed by Bcl. The recombinant D-alanyl-Dcp was
functionally identical to native D-alanyl- Dcp in the incorporation of
D-alanine into lipoteichoic acid. L. casei Dcp is 46% identical to the
putative product of dltC in the Bacillus subtilis dlt operon (M. Perego, P.
Glaser, A. Minutello, M. A. Strauch, K. Leopold, and W. Fischer, J. Biol.
Chem. 270:15598-15606, 1995), and therefore, this gene also encodes Dcp.
Comparisons of the primary sequences and predicted secondary structures of
the L. casei and B. subtilis Dcps with that of the E. coli acyl carrier
protein (ACP) were undertaken together with homology modeling to identify
the functional determinants of the donor and acceptor specificities of Dcp.
In the region of the phospho-pantetheine attachment site, significant
similarity between Dcps and ACPs was observed. This similarity may account
for the relaxed acceptor specificity of the Dcps and ACPs in the ligation
Of D-alanine catalyzed by Dcl. In contrast, two Dcp consensus sequences,
KXXVLDXLA and DXVKXNXD, share little identity with the rest of the ACP
family and, thus, may determine the donor specificity of D-alanyl-Dcp in
the D-alanylation of membrane-associated D-alanyl-lipoteichoic acid.
Copyright © 1996, American Society for Microbiology
The D-Alanyl carrier protein in Lactobacillus casei: cloning, sequencing, and expression of dltC
Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208, USA.
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