Part:BBa_K1378032

Endolysin from lambda phage

Endolysin is a kind of peptidoglycan hydrolase that are secreted by double-stranded DNA lambda phage to comprise the bacterial cell wall at the end of infection cycle.However, itself can not digest the peptidoglycan on its own because endolysin can not pass through the inner membrane unless there are other molecules' assistance.

Sequence and Features

Assembly Compatibility:

10
COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[10]
12
COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[12]
21
COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[21]
23
COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[23]
25
COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[25]
1000
COMPATIBLE WITH RFC[1000]

Usage and Biology

The λ phage endolysin is an 18-kDa soluble protein with murein transglycosylase activity^[1]. In λ lysis system, enzymatically active endolysin accumulate in cytoplasm without harm to host bacteria before 'lysis time' because the holin accumulate in CM without disturbing its integrity during this time. However, at an allele-specific time, the holin oligomerizes to form a small number of large holes, allowing the endolysin to cross the CM and attack the PG ^[2][3] (Fig. 2).

**Figure 2.** Model for export and activation of λ phage endolysin. In λ phage, the holin is inserted in cell membrane without forming holes and endolysin is restricted within cytoplasm (Cyt) before 'lysis time'. However, at an allele-specific time, the holin oligomerizes to form holes in CM, allowing endolysin to reach and hydrolyze PG, leading to cell lysis.

Reference

[1]Bieŉkowska-Szewczyk, K., Lipiŉska, B., & Taylor, A. (1981). The R gene product of bacteriophage &#955 is the murein transglycosylase. Molecular and General Genetics MGG, 184(1), 111-114.

[2]Wang, I. N., Smith, D. L., & Young, R. (2000). Holins: the protein clocks of bacteriophage infections. Annual Reviews in Microbiology, 54(1), 799-825.

[3]Dewey, J. S., Savva, C. G., White, R. L., Vitha, S., Holzenburg, A., & Young, R. (2010). Micron-scale holes terminate the phage infection cycle. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(5), 2219-2223.