Peptidoglycan from E. rhusiopathiae contains class="smallcaps">l-Ala at position 3 of the peptide stem.
The substrate specificity of MurE from E. rhusiopathiae was studied.
class="smallcaps">l-Ala was a substrate for MurEEr, but also meso-diaminopimelate in vitro.
A HDNR motif was involved in the unusual substrate specificity of MurEEr.
Upon MurEEr production, E. coli incorporated class="smallcaps">l-Ala into peptidoglycan at position 3.