LANTHIONINE AS AN ESSENTIAL CONSTITUENT OF CELL-WALL PEPTIDOGLYCAN OF FUSOBACTERIUM-NUCLEATUM

Lanthionine, a sulfur-containing diamino acid which had not previously been reported as one of the main amino acids of any bacterial cell wall peptidoglycan, was demonstrated in Fusobacterium nucleatum peptidoglycan isolated by sodium dodecyl sulfate extraction and protease digestion. Lysine, diaminopimelic acid, and ornithine were absent. Lanthionine seems to be an essential dibasic amino acid, involved in cross-linkages betwen stem peptide subunits in F. nucleatum. © 1979 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.