Glucan binding regions of dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-512F.

We isolated glucan-binding peptides of a dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-512F. The dextransucrase was bound to DEAE-Sephadex A-50, Sephadex G-100, and mutan from Streptococcus mutans. Mild trypsin digestion dissociated the enzyme and glucan binding. In the presence of ammonium sulfate, several peptides were bound to glucan after trypsin digestion. Four main mutan-binding peptides were obtained by this method, and those amino acid sequences were analyzed. One of them was identical with the dextran-binding peptide that contains lysine, which was previously isolated by differential chemical modification with o-phthalaldehyde. We also found mutan-binding peptides in sucrose- and dextran-binding regions and a lysine-rich region. Also, there was a peptide similar in sequence to glucan-binding A-repeat of streptococcal glucosyltransferases.