HOMOLOGY AMONG MurC, MurD, MurE AND MurF PROTEINS IN ESCHERICHIA COLI AND THAT BETWEEN E. COLI MurG AND A POSSIBLE MurG PROTEIN IN BACILLUS SUBTILIS

Abstract

Determination of nucleotide sequence of a 2.8kb DNA fragment involving the murG and murC genes has completed the sequencing of the total 12kb mra region at 2min on the Escherichia coli chromosome map, which functions in the growth and division of the cell. Product proteins of the genes in the mra region have also been identified, of which the MurC and MurG proteins are reported here. Considerable homologies were found in the deduced amino acid sequences of four ligases, products of the murC, murD, murE and murF genes in the mra region. These synthesize UDP-N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide from UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid in peptidoglycan synthesis. The MurG protein, also involved in the cell growth of E. coli, showed considerable homology of the deduced amino acid sequence with that of a peptide coded for by an open reading frame in the spoVE-ftsZ region of the B. subtilis chromosome.