Identification of an alpha(1-->6) mannopyranosyltransferase (MptA), involved in Corynebacterium glutamicum lipomanann biosynthesis, and identification of its orthologue in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Mol Microbiol. 2007 Sep;65(6):1503-17. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2007.05884.x. Epub 2007 Aug 21.

Abstract

Corynebacterium glutamicum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis share a similar cell wall architecture, and the availability of their genome sequences has enabled the utilization of C. glutamicum as a model for the identification and study of, otherwise essential, mycobacterial genes involved in lipomannan (LM) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM) biosynthesis. We selected the putative glycosyltransferase-Rv2174 from M. tuberculosis and deleted its orthologue NCgl2093 from C. glutamicum. This resulted in the formation of a novel truncated lipomannan (Cg-t-LM) and a complete ablation of LM/LAM biosynthesis. Purification and characterization of Cg-t-LM revealed an overall decrease in molecular mass, a reduction of alpha(1-->6) and alpha(1-->2) glycosidic linkages illustrating a reduced degree of branching compared with wild-type LM. The deletion mutant's biochemical phenotype was fully complemented by either NCgl2093 or Rv2174. Furthermore, the use of a synthetic neoglycolipid acceptor in an in vitro cell-free assay utilizing the sugar donor beta-D-mannopyranosyl-1-monophosphoryl-decaprenol together with the neoglycolipid acceptor alpha-D-Manp-(1-->6)-alpha-D-Manp-O-C8 as a substrate, confirmed NCgl2093 and Rv2174 as an alpha(1-->6) mannopyranosyltransferase (MptA), involved in the latter stages of the biosynthesis of the alpha(1-->6) mannan core of LM. Altogether, these studies have identified a new mannosyltransferase, MptA, and they shed further light on the biosynthesis of LM/LAM in Corynebacterianeae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / enzymology
  • Corynebacterium glutamicum / enzymology*
  • Corynebacterium glutamicum / genetics
  • Corynebacterium glutamicum / growth & development
  • Genome, Bacterial
  • Glycolipids / biosynthesis
  • Glycolipids / chemistry
  • Lipopolysaccharides / biosynthesis*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / chemistry
  • Lipopolysaccharides / isolation & purification
  • Mannosyltransferases / chemistry
  • Mannosyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / enzymology*
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Glycolipids
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • lipomannan
  • Mannosyltransferases