Structure elucidation and gene cluster annotation of the O-antigen of Halomonas titanicae TAT1 containing three residues of 2,3-diacetamido-2,3-dideoxy-D-glucuronic acid

Abstract

A halotolerant hydrocarbon-oxidizing bacterium Halomonas titanicae strain TAT1 was isolated from a petroleum reservoir. The O-polysaccharide (O-antigen) was isolated from the lipopolysaccharide of H. titanicae TAT1 and studied by component analyses and 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. The following structure of the repeating linear pentasaccharide O-unit, containing only aminosugars, was established: →4)-β-d-GlcpNAc3NAcA-(1 → 4)-β-d-GlcpNAc3NAcA-(1 → 6)-α-d-GlcpNAc-(1 → 4)-β-d-GlcpNAc3NAcA-(1 → 6)-α-d-GlcpNAc-(→, where d-GlcNAc3NAcA indicates 2,3-diacetamido-2,3-dideoxy-d-glucuronic acid. The O-antigen gene cluster was identified in the genome of H. titanicae TAT1 and compared with available database sequences. The genes revealed in the O-antigen gene cluster and the assigned functions of putative proteins were consistent with the established polysaccharide structure.

Keywords: Gene cluster; Halomonas titanicae; Halophilic bacterium; O-antigen structure; Oil field; lipopolysaccharide.