title: Hyaluronan synthase of chlorella virus PBCV-1.
abstract: Sequence analysis of the 330-kilobase genome of the virus PBCV-1 that infects a chlorella-like green algae revealed an open reading frame, A98R, with similarity to several hyaluronan synthases. Hyaluronan is an essential polysaccharide found in higher animals as well as in a few pathogenic bacteria. Expression of the A98R gene product in Escherichia coli indicated that the recombinant protein is an authentic hyaluronan synthase. A98R is expressed early in PBCV-1 infection and hyaluronan is produced in infected algae. These results demonstrate that a virus can encode an enzyme capable of synthesizing a carbohydrate polymer and that hyaluronan exists outside of animals and their pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, 940 Stanton L. Young Boulevard, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA. paul-deangelis@OUHSC.edu
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: DeAngelis
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jing
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Burbank
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Van Etten
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D002708:Chlorella / Q000821:virology*; D005814:Genes, Viral; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005945:Glutamine-Fructose-6-Phosphate Transaminase (Isomerizing) / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; D000076002:Hyaluronan Synthases; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017862:Phycodnaviridae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D014166:Transferases; D014533:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D029867:Xenopus Proteins
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D029867:Xenopus Proteins; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid; D014533:Uridine Diphosphate Glucose Dehydrogenase; D014166:Transferases; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; D014453:Glucuronosyltransferase; C056944:HAS1 protein, Xenopus; D000076002:Hyaluronan Synthases; D005945:Glutamine-Fructose-6-Phosphate Transaminase (Isomerizing)