Regulatory insights into the production of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine by Lactobacillus casei

Bioengineered. 2012 Nov-Dec;3(6):339-42. doi: 10.4161/bioe.21271. Epub 2012 Jul 24.

Abstract

UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc) is an important sugar nucleotide used as a precursor of cell wall components in bacteria, and as a substrate in the synthesis of oligosaccharides in eukaryotes. In bacteria UDP-GlcNAc is synthesized from the glycolytic intermediate D-fructose-6-phosphate (fructose-6P) by four successive reactions catalyzed by three enzymes: glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase (GlmS), phosphoglucosamine mutase (GlmM) and the bi-functional enzyme glucosamine-1-phosphate acetyltransferase/ N-acetylglucosamine-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU). We have previously reported a metabolic engineering strategy in Lactobacillus casei directed to increase the intracellular levels of UDP-GlcNAc by homologous overexpression of the genes glmS, glmM and glmU. One of the most remarkable features regarding the production of UDP-GlcNAc in L. casei was to find multiple regulation points on its biosynthetic pathway: (1) regulation by the NagB enzyme, (2) glmS RNA specific degradation through the possible participation of a glmS riboswitch mechanism, (3) regulation of the GlmU activity probably by end product inhibition and (4) transcription of glmU.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetyltransferases / genetics
  • Acetyltransferases / metabolism
  • Aldose-Ketose Isomerases / genetics
  • Aldose-Ketose Isomerases / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Wall / genetics
  • Cell Wall / metabolism
  • Feedback, Physiological
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial*
  • Glutamine-Fructose-6-Phosphate Transaminase (Isomerizing) / genetics
  • Glutamine-Fructose-6-Phosphate Transaminase (Isomerizing) / metabolism
  • Lacticaseibacillus casei / genetics*
  • Lacticaseibacillus casei / metabolism*
  • Metabolic Engineering
  • Phosphoglucomutase / genetics
  • Phosphoglucomutase / metabolism
  • RNA Stability
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylglucosamine
  • Acetyltransferases
  • glucosamine-1-phosphate acetyltransferase
  • Glutamine-Fructose-6-Phosphate Transaminase (Isomerizing)
  • glucosamine-6-phosphate isomerase
  • Aldose-Ketose Isomerases
  • phosphoglucosamine mutase
  • Phosphoglucomutase