Glycosyl hydrolase family 31 (GH31) domain of a bacterial protein family represented by Escherichia coli protein Aec37. The gene encoding Aec37 (aec-37) is located within a genomic island (AGI-3) isolated from the extraintestinal avian pathogenic Escherichia coli strain BEN2908. The function of Aec37 and its orthologs is unknown; however, deletion of a region of the genome that includes aec-37 affects the assimilation of seven carbohydrates, decreases growth rate of the strain in minimal medium containing galacturonate or trehalose, and attenuates the virulence of E. coli BEN2908 in chickens. All GH31 enzymes cleave a terminal carbohydrate moiety from a substrate that varies considerably in size, depending on the enzyme, and may be either a starch or a glycoprotein.
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