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Journal of Bacteriology, January 1999, p. 338-340, Vol. 181, No. 1
0021-9193/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Exopolysaccharide Biosynthesis in Lactococcus lactis NIZO B40: Functional Analysis of the Glycosyltransferase Genes Involved in Synthesis of the Polysaccharide Backbone

Richard van Kranenburg,^* Iris I. van Swam, Joey D. Marugg, Michiel Kleerebezem, and Willem M. de Vos

Microbial Ingredients Section, NIZO Food Research, 6710 BA Ede, The Netherlands

Received 26 June 1998/Accepted 14 October 1998

We used homologous and heterologous expression of the glycosyltransferase genes of the Lactococcus lactis NIZO B40 eps gene cluster to determine the activity and substrate specificities of the encoded enzymes and established the order of assembly of the trisaccharide backbone of the exopolysaccharide repeating unit. EpsD links glucose-1-phosphate from UDP-glucose to a lipid carrier, EpsE and EpsF link glucose from UDP-glucose to lipid-linked glucose, and EpsG links galactose from UDP-galactose to lipid-linked cellobiose. Furthermore, EpsJ appeared to be involved in EPS biosynthesis as a galactosyl phosphotransferase or an enzyme which releases the backbone oligosaccharide from the lipid carrier.

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^* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Microbial Ingredients Section, NIZO Food Research, Kernhemseweg 2, 6718 ZB, Ede, The Netherlands. Phone: 31 318 659511. Fax: 31 318 650400. E-mail: kranenbu{at}nizo.nl.

Present address: Laboratory of Microbiology, Centre for Neurosciences of Coimbra, University of Coimbra, 3049 Coimbra Codex, Portugal.

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Journal of Bacteriology, January 1999, p. 338-340, Vol. 181, No. 1
0021-9193/99/$04.00+0
Copyright © 1999, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

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