2003年9月
The directionality of chitin biosynthesis: a revisit
BIOCHEMICAL JOURNAL
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- 巻
- 374
- 号
- 開始ページ
- 755
- 終了ページ
- 760
- 記述言語
- 英語
- 掲載種別
- 研究論文(学術雑誌)
- DOI
- 10.1042/BJ20030145
- 出版者・発行元
- PORTLAND PRESS
The molecular directionality of chitin biosynthesis was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) using electron crystallography methods applied to reducing-end-labelled beta-chitin microcrystals from vestimentiferan Lamellibrachia satsuma tubes and nascent beta-chitin microfibrils from the diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii. The data allowed confirmation that the microfibrils were extruded with their reducing end away from the biosynthetic loci, an orientation consistent only with elongation through polymerization at the non-reducing end of the growing chains. Such a chain-extension mechanism, which has also been demonstrated for cellulose and hyaluronan, appears to be general for glycosyltransferases that belong to the GT2 (glycosyl transferase 2) family. The data also allowed confirmation that in beta-chitin the chains are crystallized in a 'parallel-up' mode, in contrast with hypotheses proposed in previous reports.
- リンク情報
- ID情報
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- DOI : 10.1042/BJ20030145
- ISSN : 0264-6021
- PubMed ID : 12816541
- Web of Science ID : WOS:000185546800019