1,6-AnhMurNAc derivatives for assay development of amidase AmiD.

Various peptidoglycan fragments were synthesized from two anhydro-muramic acid derivatives protected with a Bn or a PMB group at the 4th position, in homogenate phase or on a solid support. In order to facilitate HPLC detection, a chromophoric group was attached to the peptide chain. The periplasmic amidase sAmiD of Escherichia coli was used to cleave the amide bond between the lactyl group of the MurNAc and the alpha-amino group of L-Ala where the peptide chain was at least a dipeptide (L-Ala-gamma-D-Glu) amidated by benzylamine on the gamma-carboxyl group of D-Glu. In the presence of a tripeptide chain (L-Ala-gamma-D-Glu-L-Lys) or a tetrapeptide chain (L-Ala-gamma-D-Glu-m-A(2)pm-D-Ala) higher hydrolysis rates were observed. We have also demonstrated that the presence of TNB on the epsilon-amino group of L-Lys only has a small influence on the hydrolysis capacity of sAmiD.