Structure determination of BA0150, a putative polysaccharide deacetylase from Bacillus anthracis

Polysaccharide deacetylases are bacterial enzymes that catalyze the deacetylation of acetylated sugars on the membranes of Gram-positive bacteria, allowing them to be unrecognized by host immune systems. Inhibition of these enzymes would disrupt such pathogenic defensive mechanisms and therefore offers a promising route for the development of novel antibiotic therapeutics. Here, the first X-ray crystal structure of BA0150, a putative polysaccharide deacetylase from Bacillus anthracis, is reported to 2.0 Å resolution. The overall structure maintains the conserved (α/β)₈ fold that is characteristic of this family of enzymes. The lack of a catalytic metal ion and a distinctive metal-binding site, however, suggest that this enzyme is not a functional polysaccharide deacetylase.