title: KfoE encodes a fructosyltransferase involved in capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis in Escherichia coli K4.
abstract: Escherichia coli K4 synthesizes a capsular polysaccharide (CPS) consisting of a fructose-branched chondroitin (GalNAc-GlcA(fructose)n), which is a biosynthetic precursor of chondroitin sulfate. Here, the role of kfoE in the modification of the chondroitin backbone was investigated using knock-out and recombinant complementation experiments. kfoE disruption and complementation had no significant effect on cell growth. CPS production was increased by 15 % in the knock-out strain, and decreased by 21 % in the knock-out strain complemented with recombinant kfoE. CPS extracted from the knock-out strain was chondroitin, whereas CPS extracted from the complemented strain was a fructose-branched chondroitin. The results demonstrated that the kfoE gene product altered the fructose group at the C3 position of the GlcA residue during production of K4CPS.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, China, ljencounter@126.com.
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Aihua
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiaofan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Liming
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhongping
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006602:Hexosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins
chemical_list: D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C021451:inulosucrase; D001426:Bacterial Proteins