N for AsN - O for strOcture? A strand-loop-strand motif for prokaryotic O-glycosylation.
So far, it has not been possible to identify a general sequence motif for O-glycosylation in bacteria. In this issue, Charbonneau et al. (2012) demonstrate why O-glycosylation is mediated by a 13-residue strand-loop-strand motif which is part of a 19-residue imperfect repeat in the passenger domain of bacterial autotransporters. This motif provides a convenient 'glycosylation cassette' and raises intriguing questions about the structural regulation of the glycosylation pathway.
Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Center (iNANO), Center for insoluble Protein Structures, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, University of Aarhus, Gustav Wieds Vej 10C, Aarhus C, Denmark. dao@inano.au.dk
Daniel
D
Otzen
D018830:Adhesins, Escherichia coli / Q000737:chemistry*; D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology*; D016695:Glycosyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry*
D018830:Adhesins, Escherichia coli; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D016695:Glycosyltransferases; C086735:heptosyltransferase