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Characterization of glycosyltransferases in the biosynthetic pathway of capsular polysaccharide A (970.4)
Author(s) -
Sharma Sunita,
Troutman Jerry
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.970.4
Subject(s) - glycosyltransferase , transferase , biochemistry , polysaccharide , bacteroides fragilis , biosynthesis , chemistry , in vitro , enzyme , antibiotics
Capsular Polysaccharide A (CPSA) is a polymer of a tetrasaccharide subunit found on the surface of the symbiotic gut bacteria Bacteroides fragilis. It has been suggested that CPSA is vital for maintaining a normal balance between the various types of immune cells in a healthy mammalian host. If this balance is disturbed, various autoimmune disorders may develop in the human body. Our laboratory is applying an in vitro method to enzymatically synthesize CPSA, which is assembled on a bactoprenyl diphosphate scaffold one sugar at a time. The initiating sugar transferase, WcfS has been previously identified and characterized. Utilizing reverse phase HPLC, and fluorescent bactoprenyl monophosphate analogues we will describe the functional characterization of the remaining glycosyltransferases involved in CPSA biosynthesis, WcfN, WcfP and WcfQ. Grant Funding Source : NIH