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Crystal structure of the retaining galactosyltransferase LgtC from Neisseria meningitidis in complex with donor and acceptor sugar analogs

TitleCrystal structure of the retaining galactosyltransferase LgtC from Neisseria meningitidis in complex with donor and acceptor sugar analogs
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2001
AuthorsPersson, K, Ly, HD, Dieckelmann, M, WAKARCHUK, WW, Withers, SG, Strynadka, NCJ
JournalNATURE STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY
Volume8
Pagination166-175
Date PublishedFEB
ISSN1072-8368
Abstract

Many bacterial pathogens express lipooligosaccharides that mimic human cell surface glycoconjugates, enabling them to attach to host receptors and to evade the immune response. In Neisseria meningitidis, the galactosyltransferase LgtC catalyzes a key step in the biosynthesis of lipooligosaccharide structure by transferring alpha -D-galactose from UDP-galactose to a terminal lactose. The product retains the configuration of the donor sugar glycosidic bond; LgtC is thus a retaining glycosyltranferase, We report the 2 Angstrom crystal structures of the complex of LgtC with manganese and UDP 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-galactose (a donor sugar analog) in the presence and absence of the acceptor sugar analog 4'-deoxylactose. The structures, together with results from site-directed mutagenesis and kinetic analysis, give valuable insights into the unique catalytic mechanism and, as the first structure of a glycosyltransferase in complex with both the donor and acceptor sugars, provide a starting point for inhibitor design.

DOI10.1038/84168