Incorporation of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine from UDP-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine by isolated membranes of Bacillus subtilis. Identification of undecaprenyl poly(N-acetylglucosaminyl pyrophosphate).
Membrane isolated from Bacillus subtilis strain 168 incorporated GlcNAc from UDP-GlcNAc directly onto undecaprenyl phosphate via transphosphorylation and subsequent transglucosylations. Chain lengths of 6, 4, and 1 units of GlcNAc were found. Approximately 80% of the isotope incorporated was extracted into chloroform:methanol (2:1 v/v), and could be distinguished from the undecaprenyl disaccharide cell wall intermediate by a different elution pattern on DEAE-cellulose (acetate form). The GlcNAc-lipid(s) were eluted from a similar column in chloroform:methanol:water (10:10:3, v/v) with 6 mM NH4COOH indicating a pyrophosphate linkage between the lipid and the GlcNAc. The GlcNAc-lipid(s) were not degraded by conditions which completely deacylated [32P]glyceryl phospholipids, but were rapidly hydrolyzed by mild acid treatment (0.005 N HCl, 90 degrees) with the release of oligosaccharide phosphate (typical of sugars linked to undecaprenyl pyrophosphate). Catalytic hydrogenation of the GlcNAc-lipid(s) resulted in the release of water-soluble sugar phosphate. Under these same conditions, undecaprenyl pyrophosphate and undecaprenyl disaccharide cell wall intermediate were similarly effected while [32P]glyceryl phospholipids remained intact. The formation of GlcNAc-lipid(s) in vitro was inhibited if membranes were prepared from cells previously treated with bacitracin. Thus, the GlcNAc-lipid(s) has the properties of undecaprenyl poly(N-acetylglucosaminyl pyrophosphate) and may represent a new synthetic role of the polyisoprenyl lipid in B. subtilis.
D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D006017:Glycolipids / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D011106:Polyisoprenyl Phosphates; D014537:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D014539:Uridine Diphosphate Sugars / Q000378:metabolism*
D006017:Glycolipids; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D010743:Phospholipids; D011106:Polyisoprenyl Phosphates; D014539:Uridine Diphosphate Sugars; C009621:undecaprenyl phosphate; D014537:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine