title: The dppA gene of Bacillus subtilis encodes a new D-aminopeptidase.
abstract: Different strains of Bacillus were screened for their ability to hydrolyse D-alanyl-p-nitroanilide. Activity was detected in Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus brevis, Bacillus licheniformis 749I and Bacillus subtilis 168. The last strain was the best producer and was selected for the production and purification of the enzyme. The determination of the N-terminal sequence identified the enzyme as the product of the dppA gene (previously named dciAA) belonging to the dipeptide ABC transport (dpp) operon expressed early during sporulation. Open reading frames (ORFs) encoding putative related proteins were found in the genomes of a variety of Archaea and both sporulating and non-sporulating bacteria. The enzyme behaves as a D-aminopeptidase and represents the prototype of a new peptidase family. Among the tested substrates, the highest activities were found with D-Ala-D-Ala and D-Ala-Gly-Gly. The active enzyme behaves as an octamer of identical 30 kDa subunits. It exhibits a broad pH optimum, extending between pH 9 and 11. It is reversibly inhibited in the presence of Zn2+ chelators, and the sequence comparisons highlight the conservation of potential Zn-binding residues. As it has been shown by others that null mutations in the dpp operon do not inhibit spore formation, the physiological role of DppA is probably an adaptation to nutrient deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Protein Engineering, University of Liège, Institut de Chimie B6, Sart Tilman, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheggour
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fanuel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duez
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joris
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bouillenne
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Devreese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Driessche
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Beeumen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Frère
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Goffin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000626:Aminopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D033902:Periplasmic Binding Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D009842:Oligopeptides; D033902:Periplasmic Binding Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C066768:dppA protein, E coli; D000626:Aminopeptidases