Cloning and characterization of the phosphatidylserine synthase gene of Agrobacterium sp. strain ATCC 31749 and effect of its inactivation on production of high-molecular-mass (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan (curdlan).

Genes involved in the production of the extracellular (1-->3)-beta-glucan, curdlan, by Agrobacterium sp. strain ATCC 31749 were described previously (Stasinopoulos et al., Glycobiology 9:31-41, 1999).