Biosynthesis of the mycobacterial methylmannose polysaccharide. Identification of an alpha 1----4-mannosyltransferase.

The methylmannose polysaccharide, found in the cytoplasm of Mycobacterium smegmatis, is composed of 3-O-methylmannose units joined in alpha 1----4 linkage in a chain terminated by unmethylated mannose at the nonreducing end. An alpha 1----4-mannosyltransferase, one of the two enzymes involved in methylmannose polysaccharide elongation, has been identified in cell extracts. The activity is membrane-associated and catalyzes the transfer of mannose from GDP-mannose to oligomeric acceptors composed of 4 to 12 3-O-methylmannoses. 1H NMR spectroscopy and alpha-mannosidase digestion confirm that the mannose is attached by an alpha 1----4 linkage. In competition studies, the enzyme utilizes shorter oligomeric acceptors preferentially. The Km of the mannosyltransferase for MeMan4-OCH3 is 15-20 microM, for MeMan6-OCH3 it is 75-85 microM, and for GDP-mannose it is 55 microM.