Primary structure of the Streptomyces enzyme endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H.

We report the DNA and primary amino acid sequences of the Streptomyces plicatus enzyme endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H. Peptide sequence information was derived from enzyme isolated from Streptomyces culture medium using a combination of mass spectrometric methods and conventional techniques, including Edman degradation and carboxypeptidase Y digestion. The DNA sequence was determined by analysis of the Endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H gene cloned into the Escherichia coli plasmid pBR322 (Robbins, P. W., Wirth , D. F., and Hering , C. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 10640-10644). The enzyme from Streptomyces medium is 271 (or 269) amino acids in length and has a ragged NH2-terminal sequence beginning primarily with Ala-Pro-Val or Ala-Pro-Ala-Pro-Val. DNA resection experiments as well as the DNA sequence itself suggest that a proenzyme or, more probably, " prepro " enzyme may be the primary product of translation. The long 42 (or 44) residue leader sequence of the preproenzyme shows striking similarities to leader sequences found on proteins secreted by Bacillus species. The leader sequence is partially removed by E. coli and, as reported previously, endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H made in E. coli appears in both the periplasmic space and in the cell.