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Vol. 180, Issue 13, 3441-3447, July 1, 1998
Abteilung Biochemie, Max-Planck-Institut
für Entwicklungsbiologie, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
The gene for a novel endotype membrane-bound lytic
transglycosylase, emtA, was mapped at 26.7 min of the
E. coli chromosome. EmtA is a lipoprotein with an apparent
molecular mass of 22 kDa. Overexpression of the emtA gene
did not result in bacteriolysis in vivo, but the enzyme was shown to
hydrolyze glycan strands isolated from murein by amidase treatment. The
formation of tetra- and hexasaccharides, but no disaccharides, reflects
the endospecificity of the enzyme. The products are characterized by
the presence of 1,6-anhydromuramic acid, indicating a lytic
transglycosylase reaction mechanism. EmtA may function as a formatting
enzyme that trims the nascent murein strands produced by the murein
synthesis machinery into proper sizes, or it may be involved in the
formation of tightly controlled minor holes in the murein sacculus to
facilitate the export of bulky compounds across the murein barrier.
Membrane-Bound Lytic Endotransglycosylase in
Escherichia coli
Copyright © 1998 by American Society for Microbiology
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