title: Disruption of the cell wall lytic enzyme CwlO affects the amount and molecular size of poly-γ-glutamic acid produced by Bacillus subtilis (natto).
abstract: Poly-γ-glutamic acid (γPGA), a polymer of glutamic acid, is a component of the viscosity substance of natto, a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis (natto). Here we investigate the effects of the cell wall lytic enzymes belonging to the D,L-endopeptidases (LytE, LytF, CwlO and CwlS) on γPGA production by B. subtilis (natto). γPGA levels in a cwlO disruptant were about twofold higher than that of the wild-type strain, whereas disruption of the lytE, lytF and cwlS genes had little effect on γPGA production. The molecular size of γPGA in the cwlO disruptant was larger than that of the wild-type strain. A complementary strain was constructed by insertion of the entire cwlO gene into the amyE locus of the CwlO mutant genome, and γPGA production was restored to wild-type levels in this complementary strain. These results indicated that the peptidoglycan degradation enzyme, CwlO, plays an important role in γPGA production and affects the molecular size of γPGA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience and Textile Technology, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Technology, Shinshu University, Ueda, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mitsui
authors.forename: Hisashi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murasawa
authors.forename: Junichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sekiguchi
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005285:Fermentation / Q000502:physiology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008970:Molecular Weight; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional; D009154:Mutation; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000378:metabolism; D011108:Polymers; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D011108:Polymers; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D010450:Endopeptidases; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase