Neisseria gonorrhoeae uses two lytic transglycosylases to produce cytotoxic peptidoglycan monomers.

ABSTRACT: Peptidoglycan fragments released by Neisseria gonorrhoeae contribute to the inflammation and ciliated cell death associated with gonorrhea and pelvic inflammatory disease. However, little is known about the production and release of these fragments during bacterial growth. Previous studies demonstrated that one lytic transglycosylase, LtgA, was responsible for the production of approximately half of the released peptidoglycan monomers. Systematic mutational analysis of other putative lytic transglycosylase genes identified lytic transglycosylase D (LtgD) as responsible for release of peptidoglycan monomers from gonococci. An ltgA ltgD double mutant was found not to release peptidoglycan monomers and instead released large, soluble peptidoglycan fragments. In pulse-chase experiments, recycl

SUBMITTER: Cloud-Hansen KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2519546 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature