Mutant analysis shows that alanine racemases from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli are dimeric

Alanine racemases are ubiquitous prokaryotic enzymes providing the essential peptidoglycan precursor D-alanine. We present evidence that the enzymes from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli function exclusively as homodimers. Moreover, we demonstrate that expression of a K35A Y235A double mutation of dadX in E. coli suppresses bacterial growth in a dominant negative fashion.