Inventory of the GH 70 enzymes encoded by Leuconostoc citreum NRRL B‐1299 – identification of three novel α‐transglucosylases

Leuconostoc citreum NRRL B‐1299 has long been known to produce α‐glucans containing both α‐(1→6) and α‐(1→2) linkages, which are synthesized by α‐transglucosylases of the GH 70 family. We sequenced the genome of Leuconostoc citreum NRRL B‐1299 to identify the full inventory of GH 70 enzymes in this strain. Three new genes ( brsA , dsrM and dsr DP ) putatively encoding GH 70 enzymes were identified. The corresponding recombinant enzymes were characterized. Branching sucrase A ( BRS ‐A) grafts linear α‐(1→6) dextran with α‐(1→2)‐linked glucosyl units, and is probably involved in the α‐(1→2) branching of L. citreum NRRL B‐1299 dextran. This is the first report of a naturally occurring α‐(1→2) branching sucrase. DSR ‐M and DSR ‐ DP are dextransucrases that are specific for α‐(1→6) linkage synthesis and mainly produce oligomers or short dextrans with molar masses between 580 and 27 000 g·mol −1 . In addition, DSR ‐ DP contains sequences that diverge from the consensus sequences that are typically present in enzymes that synthesize linear dextran. Comparison of the genome with five other L. citreum genomes further revealed that dsr DP is unique to L. citreum NRRL B‐1299. The presence of this gene in a prophage represents the first evidence of phage‐mediated horizontal transfer of genes encoding such enzymes in lactic acid bacteria. Finally, brsA and dsrM are located in a chromosomal region in which genes encoding strain‐specific GH 70 enzymes are consistently located. This region may be a good target on which to focus in order to rapidly evaluate the diversity of GH 70 enzymes in L. citreum strains.