title: A UDP-HexNAc:polyprenol-P GalNAc-1-P transferase (WecP) representing a new subgroup of the enzyme family.
abstract: The Aeromonas hydrophila AH-3 WecP represents a new class of UDP-HexNAc:polyprenol-P HexNAc-1-P transferases. These enzymes use a membrane-associated polyprenol phosphate acceptor (undecaprenyl phosphate [Und-P]) and a cytoplasmic UDP-d-N-acetylhexosamine sugar nucleotide as the donor substrate. Until now, all the WecA enzymes tested were able to transfer UDP-GlcNAc to the Und-P. In this study, we present in vitro and in vivo proofs that A. hydrophila AH-3 WecP transfers GalNAc to Und-P and is unable to transfer GlcNAc to the same enzyme substrate. The molecular topology of WecP is more similar to that of WbaP (UDP-Gal polyprenol-P transferase) than to that of WecA (UDP-GlcNAc polyprenol-P transferase). WecP is the first UDP-HexNAc:polyprenol-P GalNAc-1-P transferase described.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad Barcelona, Diagonal 645, 08071 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Merino
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Molero
authors.forename: Lamiaa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bouamama
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Regué
authors.forename: Juan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Tomás
mesh_terms: D016980:Aeromonas hydrophila / Q000201:enzymology*; D002240:Carbohydrate Sequence; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D017349:N-Acetylhexosaminyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D011106:Polyisoprenyl Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism*; D014536:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylgalactosamine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011106:Polyisoprenyl Phosphates; C009621:undecaprenyl phosphate; D014536:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylgalactosamine; D017349:N-Acetylhexosaminyltransferases