Author:
Jürgens U J,Drews G,Weckesser J
Abstract
A peptidoglycan fraction free of non-peptidoglycan components was isolated from the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6714. Hydrofluoric acid treatment (48%, 0 degrees C, 48 h) cleaved off from the peptidoglycan non-peptidoglycan glucosamine, mannosamine, and mannose. The purified peptidoglycan consists of N-acetyl muramic acid, N-acetyl glucosamine, L-alanine, D-alanine, D-glutamic acid, and meso-diaminopimelic acid in approximately equimolar amounts. At least partial amidation of carboxy groups in the peptide subunits is indicated. Peptide analyses and 2,4-dinitrophenyl studies of partial acid hydrolysates revealed the structure of the Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6714 peptidoglycan to belong to the A1 gamma type (direct cross-linkage) of peptidoglycan classification. The degree of cross-linkage is about 56% and thus is in the range of that found in gram-positive bacteria. Some of the peptide units are present as tripeptides lacking the carboxy-terminal D-alanine.
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology
Subject
Molecular Biology,Microbiology
Reference30 articles.
1. Occurrence of N-non-substituted glucosamine residues in peptidoglycan of Iysozyme resistant cell walls from Bacillis cereus. );Arakl Y.;Biol. Chem.,1972
2. Chemical characterization, spatial distribution and function of lipoprotein of the Escherichia coli cell wall;Brawn V.;Eur. J. Biochem.,1968
3. Drews G. 1973. Fine stnrcture and chemical compositions of cell envelopes p. 96-116. In N. G. Carr and B. A. Whitton (ed.) The biology of blue-green algae. Blackwell Scientific Publications Oxford Great Britain.
4. Drews G. and J. Wecker. 1982. Function structure and composition of cell walls and external layers p. 333-357. In N. G. Canf and B. A. Whitton (ed.) The biology of cyanobacteria. Blackwell Scientific Publications Oxford Great Britain.
5. Thin-layer peptide mapping, quantitative analysis and sequencing at the nanomole level;Fschbeln J. C.;Anal. Biochem.,1980