Transfer of D-phenylalanine from gramicidin S synthetase 1 to gramicidin S synthetase 2 in gramicidin S synthesis.

The transfer of phenylalanine from gramicidin S synthetase 1 (GS 1) to gramicidin S synthetase 2 (GS 2) was studied by the use of combinations of wild-type GS 1 with various GS 2s from a wild strain and gramicidin S non-producing mutant strains of Bacillus brevis Nagano. The combinations of mutant GS 2s lacking 4'-phosphopantetheine (from BI-4, C-3, E-1, and E-2) did not transfer D-phenylalanine from GS 1, although they could activate all the constituent amino acids. Other mutant GS 2s containing 4'-phosphopantetheine, except GS 2 from BII-3 (proline-activation lacking) accepted D-phenylalanine from intact GS 1. To ascertain more directly whether 4'-phosphopantetheine is involved in the transfer of D-phenylalanine from GS 1 to GS 2, pepsin digests of GS 2 that accepted [14C]phenylalanine were analyzed by Sephadex G-50 column chromatography and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). Radioactivity of [14C]phenylalanine was always associated with a peptide containing 4'-phosphopantetheine. Furthermore, the position of radioactivity was distinct from the position of 4'-phosphopantetheine on TLC after alkaline treatment or performic acid oxidation of the digests.