title: Elucidating the biosynthesis of chitin filaments and their configuration with specific proteins and electron microscopy.
abstract: To deepen the knowledge of chitin synthesis, a yeast mutant has been used as a model. Purified chitin synthase I-containing vesicles (chitosomes) with a diameter of 85 to 120 nm are identified by electron microscopy to eject tiny fibers upon addition of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine. The filigree of extruded filaments fused gradually into a large three-dimensional network, which is degradable by a chitinase. The network is targeted and restructured by the Streptomyces chitin-binding protein CHB1, which has a very high affinity only for alpha-chitin. Within the chitosomes, filaments are found to be highly condensed within consecutive oval fibroids, which are specifically targeted by the alpha-chitin-binding protein. The presented data give new insights to the generation of chitin filaments with an antiparallel (alpha) configuration. [image: see text]
authors.affiliation: FB Biologie/Chemie, Universität Osnabrück, Barbarastr. 13, D-49069 Osnabrück, Germany.
authors.forename: Krzysztof W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Siemieniewicz
authors.forename: Mayur K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Kajla
authors.forename: Hildgund
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schrempf
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D002686:Chitin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002687:Chitin Synthase / Q000172:deficiency / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017353:Gene Deletion; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008958:Models, Molecular; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013302:Streptomyces / Q000378:metabolism; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C091405:CHB1 protein, Streptomyces; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D029701:Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins; D002686:Chitin; D002687:Chitin Synthase