Elucidation of D-alanine biosynthetic pathways in the hyperthermophiles: Characterization of alanine racemase from Thermus thermophilus and the structure and dual physiological functions of lysine racemase from Thermotoga maritima.
The hyperthermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima contains a peptidoglycan comprising D-alanine, D-glutamate, and D-lysine. We have previously identified the biosynthetic pathways of D-lysine and D-glutamate; however, the biosynthetic pathway of D-alanine is unclear in T. maritima. The present study elucidated the D-...