Identification that KfiA, a protein essential for the biosynthesis of the Escherichia coli K5 capsular polysaccharide, is an alpha-UDP-GlcNAc glycosyltransferase - The formation of a membrane-associated K5 biosynthetic complex requires KfiA, KfiB, and KfiC
N. Hodson et al., Identification that KfiA, a protein essential for the biosynthesis of the Escherichia coli K5 capsular polysaccharide, is an alpha-UDP-GlcNAc glycosyltransferase - The formation of a membrane-associated K5 biosynthetic complex requires KfiA, KfiB, and KfiC, J BIOL CHEM, 275(35), 2000, pp. 27311-27315
The Escherichia coli K5 capsular polysaccharide consists of the repeat stru
cture -4)GlcA-beta(1,4)-GlcNAc-alpha(1-and requires the KfiA, KfiB, KfiC, a
nd KfiD proteins for its synthesis, Previously, the KfiC protein was shown
to be a beta-UDP-GlcA glycosyltransferase, and KfiD was shown to be a UDP-G
lc dehydrogenase. Here, we demonstrate that KfiA is an alpha-UDP-GlcNAc gly
cosyltransferase and that biosynthesis of the K5 polysaccharide involves th
e concerted action of the KfiA and KfiC proteins. By site-directed mutagene
sis, we determined that the acidic motif of DDD, which is conserved between
the C family of glycosyltransferases, is essential for the enzymatic activ
ity of KfiA III addition, by Western blot analysis, we determined that asso
ciation of KfiA with the cytoplasmic membrane requires KfiC but not KfiB, w
hereas the interaction of KfiC with the cytoplasmic membrane was dependent
on both KfiA and KfiB. Likewise, KfiB was only detectable in cytoplasmic me
mbrane fractions when both KfiA and KfiC were present. These data suggest t
hat the interaction between the KfiA, KfiB, and KfiC proteins is essential
for the stable association of these proteins with the cytoplasmic membrane
and the biosynthesis of the K5 polysaccharide.