N-Acetylglucosamine Recognition by a Family 32 Carbohydrate-Binding Module from Clostridium perfringens NagH

Many carbohydrate-active enzymes have complex architectures comprising multiple modules that may be involved in catalysis, carbohydrate binding, or protein-protein interactions. Carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) are a common ancillary module whose function is to promote the adherence of the complete enzyme to carbohydrate substrates. CBM family 32 has been proposed to be one of the most diverse CBM families classified to date, yet all of the structurally characterized CBM32s thus far recognize galactose-based ligands. Here, we report a unique binding specificity and mode of ligand binding for a family 32 CBM. NagHCBM32-2 is one of four CBM32 modules in NagH, a family 84 glycoside hydrolase secreted by Clostridium perfringens. NagHCBM32-2 has the β-sandwich scaffold common to members of the family; however, its specificity for N-acetylglucosamine is unusual among CBMs. X-ray crystallographic analysis of the module at resolutions from 1.45 to 2.0 Å and in complex with disaccharides reveals that its mode of sugar recognition is quite different from that observed for galactose-specific CBM32s. This study continues to unravel the diversity of CBMs found in family 32 and how these CBMs might impart the carbohydrate-binding specificity to the extracellular glycoside hydrolases in C. perfringens.     

Recognition and hydrolysis of noncrystalline cellulose

Cellulase Cel5A from alkalophilic Bacillus sp. 1139 contains a family 17 carbohydrate-binding module (BspCBM17) and a family 28 CBM (BspCBM28) in tandem. The two modules have significantly similar amino acid sequences, but amino acid residues essential for binding are not conserved. BspCBM28 was obtained as a discrete polypeptide by engineering the cel5A gene. BspCBM17 could not be obtained as a discrete polypeptide, so a family 17 CBM from endoglucanase Cel5A of Clostridium cellulovorans, CcCBM17, was used to compare the binding characteristics of the two families of CBM. Both CcCBM17 and BspCBM28 recognized two classes of binding sites on amorphous cellulose: a high affinity site (K(a) approximately 1 x 10(6) M(-1)) and a low affinity site (K(a) approximately 2 x 10(4) M(-1)). They did not compete for binding to the high affinity sites, suggesting that they bound at different sites on the cellulose. A polypeptide, BspCBM17/CBM28, comprising the tandem CBMs from Cel5A, bound to amorphous cellulose with a significantly higher affinity than the sum of the affinities of CcCBM17 and BspCBM28, indicating cooperativity between the linked CBMs. Cel5A mutants were constructed that were defective in one or both of the CBMs. The mutants differed from the wild-type enzyme in the amounts and sizes of the soluble products produced from amorphous cellulose. This suggests that either the CBMs can modify the action of the catalytic module of Cel5A or that they target the enzyme to areas of the cellulose that differ in susceptibility to hydrolysis.     

Family 6 carbohydrate binding modules recognize the non-reducing end of beta-1,3-linked glucans by presenting a unique ligand binding surface

Enzymes that hydrolyze insoluble complex polysaccharide structures contain non-catalytic carbohydrate binding modules (CBMS) that play a pivotal role in the action of these enzymes against recalcitrant substrates. Family 6 CBMs (CBM6s) are distinct from other CBM families in that these protein modules contain multiple distinct ligand binding sites, a feature that makes CBM6s particularly appropriate receptors for the beta-1,3-glucan laminarin, which displays an extended U-shaped conformation. To investigate the mechanism by which family 6 CBMs recognize laminarin, we report the biochemical and structural properties of a CBM6 (designated BhCBM6) that is located in an enzyme, which is shown, in this work, to display beta-1,3-glucanase activity. BhCBM6 binds beta-1,3-glucooligosaccharides with affinities of approximately 1 x 10(5) m(-1). The x-ray crystal structure of this CBM in complex with laminarihexaose reveals similarity with the structures of other CBM6s but a unique binding mode. The binding cleft in this protein is sealed at one end, which prevents binding of linear polysaccharides such as cellulose, and the orientation of the sugar at this site prevents glycone extension of the ligand and thus conferring specificity for the non-reducing ends of glycans. The high affinity for extended beta-1,3-glucooligosaccharides is conferred by interactions with the surface of the protein located between the two binding sites common to CBM6s and thus reveals a third ligand binding site in family 6 CBMs. This study therefore demonstrates how the multiple binding clefts and highly unusual protein surface of family 6 CBMs confers the extensive range of specificities displayed by this protein family. This is in sharp contrast to other families of CBMs where variation in specificity between different members reflects differences in the topology of a single binding site.     

X-ray crystal structure of a non-crystalline cellulose-specific carbohydrate-binding module: CBM28

Natural cellulose exists as a composite of different forms, which have historically been broadly characterized as "crystalline" or "amorphous". The recognition of both of these forms of cellulose by the carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM) of microbial glycoside hydrolases is central to natural and efficient biotechnological conversion of plant cell wall biomass. There is increasing evidence that, at least some, individual binding modules target distinct and different regions of non-crystalline "amorphous" cellulose. Competition experiments show that CBM28 modules do not compete with CBM17 modules when binding to non-crystalline cellulose. The structure of the BspCBM28 (http://afmb.cnrs-mrs.fr/CAZY/) module from the Bacillus sp. 1139 family GH5 endoglucanase, comprising a 191 amino acid protein, has therefore been determined at 1.4A resolution using single isomorphous replacement with anomalous scattering methods. The structure reveals a "beta-jelly roll" topology, with high degree of similarity to the structure of CBM17 domains. Sequence and structural conservation strongly suggests that these two families of domains have evolved through gene duplication and subsequent divergence. The ligand-binding site "topographies" of CBMs from families 28, 17 and 4 begins to shed light on the differential recognition of non-crystalline cellulose by multi-modular plant cell wall-degrading enzymes.     

Structural and evolutionary aspects of two families of non-catalytic domains present in starch and glycogen binding proteins from microbes, plants and animals

Starch-binding domains (SBDs) comprise distinct protein modules that bind starch, glycogen or related carbohydrates and have been classified into different families of carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs). The present review focuses on SBDs of CBM20 and CBM48 found in amylolytic enzymes from several glycoside hydrolase (GH) families GH13, GH14, GH15, GH31, GH57 and GH77, as well as in a number of regulatory enzymes, e.g., phosphoglucan, water dikinase-3, genethonin-1, laforin, starch-excess protein-4, the β-subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase and its homologues from sucrose non-fermenting-1 protein kinase SNF1 complex, and an adaptor-regulator related to the SNF1/AMPK family, AKINβγ. CBM20s and CBM48s of amylolytic enzymes occur predominantly in the microbial world, whereas the non-amylolytic proteins containing these modules are mostly of plant and animal origin. Comparison of amino acid sequences and tertiary structures of CBM20 and CBM48 reveals the close relatedness of these SBDs and, in some cases, glycogen-binding domains (GBDs). The families CBM20 and CBM48 share both an ancestral form and the mode of starch/glycogen binding at one or two binding sites. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrate that they exhibit independent behaviour, i.e. each family forms its own part in an evolutionary tree, with enzyme specificity (protein function) being well represented within each family. The distinction between CBM20 and CBM48 families is not sharp since there are representatives in both CBM families that possess an intermediate character. These are, for example, CBM20s from hypothetical GH57 amylopullulanase (probably lacking the starch-binding site 2) and CBM48s from the GH13 pullulanase subfamily (probably lacking the starch/glycogen-binding site 1). The knowledge gained concerning the occurrence of these SBDs and GBDs through the range of taxonomy will support future experimental research.     

The interaction of a carbohydrate-binding module from a Clostridium perfringens N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase with its carbohydrate receptor

Clostridium perfringens is a notable colonizer of the human gastrointestinal tract. This bacterium is quite remarkable for a human pathogen by the number of glycoside hydrolases found in its genome. The modularity of these enzymes is striking as is the frequent occurrence of modules having amino acid sequence identity with family 32 carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), often referred to as F5/8 domains. Here we report the properties of family 32 CBMs from a C. perfringens N-acetyl-beta-hexosaminidase. Macroarray, UV difference, and isothermal titration calorimetry binding studies indicate a preference for the disaccharide LacNAc (beta-d-galactosyl-1,4-beta-d-N-acetylglucosamine). The molecular details of the interaction of this CBM with galactose, LacNAc, and the type II blood group H-trisaccharide are revealed by x-ray crystallographic studies at resolutions of 1.49, 2.4, and 2.3 A, respectively.     

Mutational Insights into the Roles of Amino Acid Residues in Ligand Binding for Two Closely Related Family 16 Carbohydrate Binding Modules

Carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs) are specialized proteins that bind to polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. Caldanaerobius polysaccharolyticus Man5ACBM16-1/CBM16-2 bind to glucose-, mannose-, and glucose/mannose-configured substrates. The crystal structures of the two proteins represent the only examples in CBM family 16, and studies that evaluate the roles of amino acid residues in ligand binding in this family are lacking. In this study, we probed the roles of amino acids (selected based on CBM16-1/ligand co-crystal structures) on substrate binding. Two tryptophan (Trp-20 and Trp-125) and two glutamine (Gln-81 and Gln-93) residues are shown to be critical in ligand binding. Additionally, several polar residues that flank the critical residues also contribute to ligand binding. The CBM16-1 Q121E mutation increased affinity for all substrates tested, whereas the Q21G and N97R mutants exhibited decreased substrate affinity. We solved CBM/substrate co-crystal structures to elucidate the molecular basis of the increased substrate binding by CBM16-1 Q121E. The Gln-121, Gln-21, and Asn-97 residues can be manipulated to fine-tune ligand binding by the Man5A CBMs. Surprisingly, none of the eight residues investigated was absolutely conserved in CBM family 16. Thus, the critical residues in the Man5A CBMs are either not essential for substrate binding in the other members of this family or the two CBMs are evolutionarily distinct from the members available in the current protein database. Man5A is dependent on its CBMs for robust activity, and insights from this study should serve to enhance our understanding of the interdependence of its catalytic and substrate binding modules.     

Purification and properties of a low-molecular-weight, high-alkaline pectate lyase from an alkaliphilic strain of Bacillus

A low-molecular-weight, high-alkaline pectate lyase (pectate transeliminase, EC 4.2.2.2) was found in an alkaline culture of Bacillus sp. strain KSM-P15, purified to homogeneity, and crystallized. The enzyme had a relative molecular weight of approximately 20,300 as measured by sedimentation equilibrium, with a sedimentation coefficient (s20,w0) of 1.73 S. It was a basic protein with an isoelectric point of pH 10.3, and the alpha-helical content was only 6.6%. In the presence of Ca2+ ions, the enzyme degraded polygalacturonic acid in a random manner to yield 4,5-unsaturated oligo-galacturonides and had its optimal activity around pH 10.5 and 50-55 degrees C. It also had a protopectinase-like activity on cotton fibers. The N-terminal amino acid sequences of the intact protein (28 amino acids) and its two lysyl endopeptidase-cleaved peptide fragments (8 and 12 amino acids) had very low sequence similarity with pectate lyases reported to date. These results strongly suggest that the pectate lyase of Bacillus sp. strain KSM-P15 may be a novel enzyme and belongs in a new family.     

Evolutionary conservation of a unique amino acid sequence in human DICER protein essential for binding to Argonaute family proteins

The Argonaute family and DICER proteins are major key proteins involved in the RNA-mediated gene silencing mechanism of various species. In this mechanism, cleavage of messenger RNAs (mRNA) or suppression of mRNA translation takes place via small RNAs that are uniquely processed by DICER. Previously, we demonstrated that human Argonaute family proteins bind to DICER. In this study, we identified a unique amino acid sequence of 127 amino acids in the RIBOc-A domain of human DICER protein as a "binding site" to Argonaute proteins. Comparative genomics analysis revealed that this unique amino acid sequence is highly conserved in the vertebrates, but not found in the non-vertebrate species. Significant difference in the RIBOc-A domain of DICER protein between vertebrate and non-vertebrate species may help exploring the functional complexity in the RNA-mediated gene silencing mechanism.     

Clostridium thermocellum Xyn10B carbohydrate-binding module 22-2: the role of conserved amino acids in ligand binding

The majority of plant cell wall hydrolases are modular enzymes which, in addition to a catalytic module, possess one or more carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs). These carbohydrate-active enzymes and their constituent modules have been classified into a number of families based upon amino acid sequence similarity. The Clostridium thermocellum xylanase, Xyn10B, contains two CBMs that belong to family 22 (CBM22). The crystal structure of the C-terminal CBM22 (CBM22-2) was determined in a previous study [Charnock, S. J., et al. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 5013--5021] and revealed a surface cleft which presents several conserved residues that are implicated in ligand binding. These amino acids have been substituted and the structure and biochemical properties of the mutants analyzed. The data show that R25A, W53A, Y103A, Y136A, and E138A exhibit greatly reduced affinity for xylotetraose relative to that of the wild-type protein. Conversely, mutations Y103F and Y136F have little effect on ligand binding. Using thermodynamic, X-ray, and NMR measurements on the mutants, we show that the cleft of CBM22-2 does indeed form the ligand-binding site. Trp 53 and Tyr 103 most likely participate in hydrophobic stacking interactions with the ligand, while Glu 138 makes one or more important hydrogen bonds with the tetrasaccharide. Although Arg 25 and Tyr 136 are likely to form hydrogen bonds with the ligand, they are also shown to play a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of the binding cleft.     

Solution structure of a membrane-anchored ubiquitin-fold (MUB) protein from Homo sapiens

The protein Bc059385, whose solution structure is reported here, is the human representative of a recently identified family of membrane-anchored ubiquitin-fold (MUB) proteins. Analysis of their similarity to ubiquitin indicates that homologous amino acid residues in MUBs form a hydrophobic surface very similar to the recognition patch surrounding Ile-44 in ubiquitin. This suggests that MUBs may interact with proteins containing an alpha-helical motif similar to those of some ubiquitin binding domains. A disordered loop common to MUBs may also provide a second protein interaction site. From the available data, it is probable that this protein is prenylated and associated with the membrane. With <20% identity to ubiquitin, the MUB family further expands the sequence space that maps to the beta-grasp fold, and adds membrane localization to its list of functional roles.     

Cloning, sequencing, and expression of a Eubacterium cellulosolvens 5 gene encoding an endoglucanase (Cel5A) with novel carbohydrate-binding modules, and properties of Cel5A

A novel Eubacterium cellulosolvens 5 gene encoding an endoglucanase (Cel5A) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and its enzymatic properties were characterized. The cel5A gene consists of a 3,444-bp open reading frame and encodes a 1,148-amino-acid protein with a molecular mass of 127,047 Da. Cel5A is a modular enzyme consisting of an N-terminal signal peptide, two glycosyl hydrolase family 5 catalytic modules, two novel carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), two linker sequences, and a C-terminal sequence with an unknown function. The amino acid sequences of the two catalytic modules and the two CBMs are 94% and 73% identical to each other, respectively. Two regions that consisted of one CBM and one catalytic module were tandemly connected via a linker sequence. The CBMs did not exhibit significant sequence similarity with any other CBMs. Analyses of the hydrolytic activity of the recombinant Cel5A (rCel5A) comprising the CBMs and the catalytic modules showed that the enzyme is an endoglucanase with activities with carboxymethyl cellulose, lichenan, acid-swollen cellulose, and oat spelt xylan. To investigate the functions of the CBMs and the catalytic modules, truncated derivatives of rCel5A were constructed and characterized. There were no differences in the hydrolytic activities with various polysaccharides or in the hydrolytic products obtained from cellooligosaccharides between the two catalytic modules. Both CBMs had the same substrate affinity with intact rCel5A. Removal of the CBMs from rCel5A reduced the catalytic activities with various polysaccharides remarkably. These observations show that CBMs play an important role in the catalytic function of the enzyme.     

Carbohydrate recognition by an architecturally complex α-N-acetylglucosaminidase from Clostridium perfringens

CpGH89 is a large multimodular enzyme produced by the human and animal pathogen Clostridium perfringens. The catalytic activity of this exo-α-D-N-acetylglucosaminidase is directed towards a rare carbohydrate motif, N-acetyl-β-D-glucosamine-α-1,4-D-galactose, which is displayed on the class III mucins deep within the gastric mucosa. In addition to the family 89 glycoside hydrolase catalytic module this enzyme has six modules that share sequence similarity to the family 32 carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM32s), suggesting the enzyme has considerable capacity to adhere to carbohydrates. Here we suggest that two of the modules, CBM32-1 and CBM32-6, are not functional as carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) and demonstrate that three of the CBMs, CBM32-3, CBM32-4, and CBM32-5, are indeed capable of binding carbohydrates. CBM32-3 and CBM32-4 have a novel binding specificity for N-acetyl-β-D-glucosamine-α-1,4-D-galactose, which thus complements the specificity of the catalytic module. The X-ray crystal structure of CBM32-4 in complex with this disaccharide reveals a mode of recognition that is based primarily on accommodation of the unique bent shape of this sugar. In contrast, as revealed by a series of X-ray crystal structures and quantitative binding studies, CBM32-5 displays the structural and functional features of galactose binding that is commonly associated with CBM family 32. The functional CBM32s that CpGH89 contains suggest the possibility for multivalent binding events and the partitioning of this enzyme to highly specific regions within the gastrointestinal tract.     

An Unusual Mode of Galactose Recognition by a Family 32 Carbohydrate-Binding Module

Carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) are ancillary modules commonly associated with carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) that function to mediate the adherence of the parent enzyme to its carbohydrate substrates. CBM family 32 (CBM32) is one of the most diverse CBM families, whose members are commonly found in bacterial CAZymes that modify eukaryotic glycans. One such example is the putative μ-toxin, CpGH84A, of the family 84 glycoside hydrolases, which comprises an N-terminal putative β-N-acetylglucosaminidase catalytic module and four tandem CBM32s. Here, we report a unique mode of galactose recognition by the first CBM32, CBM32-1 from CpGH84A. Solution NMR-based analyses of CpGH84A CBM32-1 indicate a divergent subset of residues, located in ordered loops at the apex of the CBM, conferring specificity for the galacto-configured sugars galactose, GalNAc, and LacNAc that differs from those of the canonical galactose-binding CBM32s. This study showcases the impressive variability in ligand binding by this CBM family and offers insight into the growing role of these modules in the interaction of CAZymes with eukaryotic glycans.     

Chain length-dependent binding of fatty acid anions to human serum albumin studied by site-directed mutagenesis

Human serum albumin is the most abundant protein in the circulatory system, and one of its principal functions is to transport fatty acids. Binding of octanoate, decanoate, laurate and myristate was studied by a rate-of-dialysis technique. The primary association constants increased, but not linearly, with chain length. The number of high-affinity sites also increased with chain length; octanoate and decanoate bind to one such site, whereas laurate and myristate most probably bind to two sites. Albumin is composed of three homologous helical domains (I-III), which can be subdivided into two subdomains (A and B). For getting information about the positions of the high-affinity sites we produced 13 recombinant isoforms mutated in four different subdomains. Results obtained with these albumins are in accordance with the following model: octanoate and decanoate bind to a single site in subdomain IIIA, laurate binds to sites in subdomains IIIA and IIIB, whereas myristate binds in subdomains IB and IIIB. The results also showed that primary fatty acid binding is sensitive to amino acid substitutions in other parts of the protein. This is in contrast to the effect of amino acid substitutions of genetic albumin variants (alloalbumins). Usually these substitutions, which are situated at the surface of the protein, have no effect on fatty acid binding. Binding of fatty acid anions to different high-affinity sites and the sensitivity of these sites to amino acid substitutions elsewhere in the protein (and perhaps also to other types of modifications) are important factors that could effect simultaneous binding of other ligands, e.g. in patients treated with albumin-binding drugs.     

Solution NMR structure of VF0530 from Vibrio fischeri reveals a nucleic acid-binding function

Protein domain family PF09905 (DUF2132) is a family of small domains of unknown function that are conserved in a wide range of bacteria. Here we describe the solution NMR structure of the 80-residue VF0530 protein from Vibrio fischeri, the first structural representative from this protein domain family. We demonstrate that the structure of VF0530 adopts a unique four-helix motif that shows some similarity to the C-terminal double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) binding domain of RecA, as well as other nucleic acid binding domains. Moreover, gel shift binding data indicate a potential dsDNA binding role for VF0530.     

Cell surface protein receptors in oral streptococci

Abstract Streptococci have a vast repertoire of adherence properties which include binding to human tissue components, epithelial cells and to other bacterial cells. These interactions are determined by the expression of cell-surface receptors some of which are species-specific. In the oral streptococci, two families of surface protein receptors with highly conserved amino acid sequences have been identified. The antigen I/II family of polypeptides are wall-associated high molecular mass proteins (158–166 kDa) with several binding functions that may be attributed to different domains of the receptor molecules. The LraI family of polypeptides are surface-associated lipoproteins (32–33 kDa) involved in adherence of streptococci to salivary glycoprotein pellicle and to oral Actinomyces . A region of amino acid sequence similarity is evident amongst members of the two protein families in Streptococcus gordonii . Ligand-binding specificities of these receptor polypeptides may account for species-specific adherence and site-directed colonization of streptococci within the human oral cavity.     

Cloning, Sequencing, and Expression of a Eubacterium cellulosolvens 5 Gene Encoding an Endoglucanase (Cel5A) with Novel Carbohydrate-Binding Modules, and Properties of Cel5A

A novel Eubacterium cellulosolvens 5 gene encoding an endoglucanase (Cel5A) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and its enzymatic properties were characterized. The cel5A gene consists of a 3,444-bp open reading frame and encodes a 1,148-amino-acid protein with a molecular mass of 127,047 Da. Cel5A is a modular enzyme consisting of an N-terminal signal peptide, two glycosyl hydrolase family 5 catalytic modules, two novel carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs), two linker sequences, and a C-terminal sequence with an unknown function. The amino acid sequences of the two catalytic modules and the two CBMs are 94% and 73% identical to each other, respectively. Two regions that consisted of one CBM and one catalytic module were tandemly connected via a linker sequence. The CBMs did not exhibit significant sequence similarity with any other CBMs. Analyses of the hydrolytic activity of the recombinant Cel5A (rCel5A) comprising the CBMs and the catalytic modules showed that the enzyme is an endoglucanase with activities with carboxymethyl cellulose, lichenan, acid-swollen cellulose, and oat spelt xylan. To investigate the functions of the CBMs and the catalytic modules, truncated derivatives of rCel5A were constructed and characterized. There were no differences in the hydrolytic activities with various polysaccharides or in the hydrolytic products obtained from cellooligosaccharides between the two catalytic modules. Both CBMs had the same substrate affinity with intact rCel5A. Removal of the CBMs from rCel5A reduced the catalytic activities with various polysaccharides remarkably. These observations show that CBMs play an important role in the catalytic function of the enzyme.     

Cloning, sequencing, and expression of the gene encoding a large S-layer-associated endoxylanase from Thermoanaerobacterium sp. strain JW/SL-YS 485 in Escherichia coli.

The gene (xynA) encoding a surface-exposed, S-layer-associated endoxylanase from Thermoanaerobacterium sp. strain JW/SL-YS 485 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. A 3.8-kb fragment was amplified from chromosomal DNA by using primers directed against conserved sequences of endoxylanases isolated from other thermophilic bacteria. This PCR product was used as a probe in Southern hybridizations to identify a 4.6-kb EcoRI fragment containing the complete xynA gene. This fragment was cloned into E. coli, and recombinant clones expressed significant levels of xylanase activity. The purified recombinant protein had an estimated molecular mass (150 kDa), temperature maximum (80 degrees C), pH optimum (pH 6.3), and isoelectric point (pH 4.5) that were similar to those of the endoxylanase isolated from strain JW/SL-YS 485. The entire insert was sequenced and analysis revealed a 4,044-bp open reading frame encoding a protein containing 1,348 amino acid residues (estimated molecular mass of 148 kDa).xynA was preceded by a putative promoter at -35 (TTAAT) and -10 (TATATT) and a potential ribosome binding site (AGGGAG) and was expressed constitutively in E. coli. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 30 to 96% similarity to sequences of family F beta-glycanases. A putative 32-amino-acid signal peptide was identified, and the C-terminal end of the protein contained three repeating sequences 59, 64, and 57 amino acids) that showed 46 to 68% similarity to repeating sequences at the N-terminal end of S-layer and S-layer-associated proteins from other gram-positive bacteria. These repeats could permit an interaction of the enzyme with the S-layer and tether it to the cell surface.