Identification of a sialate-O-acetyltransferase from Campylobacter jejuni: demonstration of direct transfer to the C9 position of terminal alpha-2,8-linked sialic acid

From National Research Council Canada

Author	Search for: Houliston, R.; Search for: Endtz, H.; Search for: Yuki, N.; Search for: Li, J.; Search for: Jarrell, Harold; Search for: Koga, M.; Search for: Van, Belkum; Search for: Karwaski, M.; Search for: Wakarchuk, Warren; Search for: Gilbert, M.
Format	Text, Article
Subject	acids; biosynthesis; Campylobacter jejuni; Canada; enzymes; Escherichia coli; gangliosides; Guillain-Barre Syndrome; identification; lipooligosaccharides; prevalence; residues; sialic acid; specificity; strains; structure; syndrome; transfer
Abstract	We have identified a sialate-O-acetyltransferase in the lipo-oligosaccharide biosynthesis locus of Campylobacter jejuni. Strains possessing this locus are known to produce sialylated outer core structures that mimic host gangliosides, and have been implicated in triggering the onset of Guillain-Barre syndrome. The acetyltransferase, which was cloned and expressed as a fusion construct in Escherichia coli, is soluble and homologous with members of the NodL-LacA-CysE family of O-acetyltransferases. This enzyme catalyzes the transfer of O-acetyl groups onto oligosaccharide-bound sialic acid, with a high specificity for terminal a2,8-linked residues. The modification is directed to C9, and not C7, as is believed to occur more commonly in other organisms. Despite their wide prevalence and importance in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes, this is the first report to describe the characterization of a purified sialate-O-acetyltransferase
Publication date	2006-02-14
Publisher	American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
In	The Journal of Biological Chemistry 281: 11480–11486.
Language	English
Peer reviewed	Yes
NRC number	HOULISTON2006
NPARC number	9379851
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Record identifier	8f171bae-f791-4619-886b-f808c328e570
Record created	2009-07-10
Record modified	2022-11-18

Date modified:: 2026-01-14