Phage-encoded enzymes found in Acinetobacter baumannii convert pseudaminic acid to 8-epipseudaminic acid
Abstract The nonulosonic acid 8-epipseudaminic acid was discovered only recently in two Acinetobacter baumannii strains but the genes responsible for conversion of pseudaminic acid to its 8-epimer were not found at the K locus. Here, we use a pan-genome approach to identify a pair of carbohydrate bi...
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| Format: | Article |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Communications Biology |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08114-8 |
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| author | Nowshin S. Sharar Andrea Iovine Cristina De Castro Ruth M. Hall Johanna J. Kenyon |
| author_facet | Nowshin S. Sharar Andrea Iovine Cristina De Castro Ruth M. Hall Johanna J. Kenyon |
| author_sort | Nowshin S. Sharar |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The nonulosonic acid 8-epipseudaminic acid was discovered only recently in two Acinetobacter baumannii strains but the genes responsible for conversion of pseudaminic acid to its 8-epimer were not found at the K locus. Here, we use a pan-genome approach to identify a pair of carbohydrate biosynthesis genes, epaA and epaB, and demonstrate using NMR analysis of the capsular polysaccharide that they encode enzymes able to convert pseudaminic acid to its 8-epimer. Via an extensive survey of available A. baumannii genomes, we show that the epaA and epaB genes are present in 17 different Caudoviricetes class prophages. The prophages are in genomes that carry different capsule biosynthesis loci from isolates recovered in several different countries. The presence of epaA and epaB genes in A. baumannii isolates that are able to produce pseudaminic acid leads to modification of capsular polysaccharides that decorate their cell surface with potential implications for capsule typing and capsule-targeting therapies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-eb921fbe3eb94610b03cc9a86d6c8ba3 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2399-3642 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Biology |
| spelling | doaj-art-eb921fbe3eb94610b03cc9a86d6c8ba32025-08-20T01:49:48ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Biology2399-36422025-05-018111010.1038/s42003-025-08114-8Phage-encoded enzymes found in Acinetobacter baumannii convert pseudaminic acid to 8-epipseudaminic acidNowshin S. Sharar0Andrea Iovine1Cristina De Castro2Ruth M. Hall3Johanna J. Kenyon4Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of TechnologyDepartment of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II Complesso Universitario Monte Santangelo, Via Cintia 4Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Napoli Federico II Complesso Universitario Monte Santangelo, Via Cintia 4School of Life and Environmental Science, The University of SydneyCentre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of TechnologyAbstract The nonulosonic acid 8-epipseudaminic acid was discovered only recently in two Acinetobacter baumannii strains but the genes responsible for conversion of pseudaminic acid to its 8-epimer were not found at the K locus. Here, we use a pan-genome approach to identify a pair of carbohydrate biosynthesis genes, epaA and epaB, and demonstrate using NMR analysis of the capsular polysaccharide that they encode enzymes able to convert pseudaminic acid to its 8-epimer. Via an extensive survey of available A. baumannii genomes, we show that the epaA and epaB genes are present in 17 different Caudoviricetes class prophages. The prophages are in genomes that carry different capsule biosynthesis loci from isolates recovered in several different countries. The presence of epaA and epaB genes in A. baumannii isolates that are able to produce pseudaminic acid leads to modification of capsular polysaccharides that decorate their cell surface with potential implications for capsule typing and capsule-targeting therapies.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08114-8 |
| spellingShingle | Nowshin S. Sharar Andrea Iovine Cristina De Castro Ruth M. Hall Johanna J. Kenyon Phage-encoded enzymes found in Acinetobacter baumannii convert pseudaminic acid to 8-epipseudaminic acid Communications Biology |
| title | Phage-encoded enzymes found in Acinetobacter baumannii convert pseudaminic acid to 8-epipseudaminic acid |
| title_full | Phage-encoded enzymes found in Acinetobacter baumannii convert pseudaminic acid to 8-epipseudaminic acid |
| title_fullStr | Phage-encoded enzymes found in Acinetobacter baumannii convert pseudaminic acid to 8-epipseudaminic acid |
| title_full_unstemmed | Phage-encoded enzymes found in Acinetobacter baumannii convert pseudaminic acid to 8-epipseudaminic acid |
| title_short | Phage-encoded enzymes found in Acinetobacter baumannii convert pseudaminic acid to 8-epipseudaminic acid |
| title_sort | phage encoded enzymes found in acinetobacter baumannii convert pseudaminic acid to 8 epipseudaminic acid |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08114-8 |
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