Accumulation of the lipid A precursor UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine in an Escherichia coli mutant lacking the lpxH gene.

The lpxH gene encodes the UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine-specific pyrophosphatase that catalyzes the fourth step of lipid A biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. To confirm the function of lpxH, we constructed KB21/pKJB5. This strain contains a kanamycin insertion element in the chromosomal copy of lpxH, complemented by plasmid pKJB5, which is temperature-sensitive for replication and harbors lpxH(+).

The Escherichia coli gene encoding the UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine pyrophosphatase of lipid A biosynthesis.

UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine hydrolase is believed to catalyze the fourth step of lipid A biosynthesis in Escherichia coli. This reaction involves pyrophosphate bond hydrolysis of the precursor UDP-2,3-diacylglucosamine to yield 2,3-diacylglucosamine 1-phosphate and UMP. To identify the gene encoding this hydrolase, E.