Alanine esters of enterococcal lipoteichoic acid play a role in biofilm formation and resistance to antimicrobial peptides.

ABSTRACT: Enterococcus faecalis is among the predominant causes of nosocomial infections. Surface molecules like d-alanine lipoteichoic acid (LTA) perform several functions in gram-positive bacteria, such as maintenance of cationic homeostasis and modulation of autolytic activities. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of d-alanine esters of teichoic acids on biofilm production and adhesion, autolysis, antimicrobial peptide sensitivity, and opsonic killing. A deletion mutant of the dltA gene was created in a clinical E. faecalis isolate. The absence of d-alanine in the LTA of the dltA deletion mutant was confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The wild-type strain and the deletion mutant did not show any significant differences in growth curve, morphology, or autolys

SUBMITTER: Fabretti F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1489678 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature