A Lyt at the end of the tunnel? Unraveling the complex interactions of the <i>N</i>-acetylglucosaminidase LytG in cell wall metabolism.

ABSTRACT: The growth and division of the Gram-positive cell requires the coordinated action of enzymes involved in the synthesis and degradation of the heteropolymer peptidoglycan. Herein, we present the use of the diamide masarimycin, an inhibitor of the exo-N-acetylglucosaminidase (GlcNAcase) LytG from Bacillus subtilis, as a chemical biology probe to elucidate the biological role of this cell wall degrading enzyme. Using a combination of chemical biology and genetic approaches we provide the first evidence that LytG activity influences the elongation and division complexes in B. subtilis. Chemical inhibition of LytG resulted in dysregulated cell elongation and localization of the division plane and the induction of the cell wall stress response. In the presence of masarimycin

SUBMITTER: Hernandez J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12505155 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature