Discovery of genes required for lipoteichoic acid glycosylation predicts two distinct mechanisms for wall teichoic acid glycosylation.

ABSTRACT: The bacterial cell wall is an important and highly complex structure that is essential for bacterial growth because it protects bacteria from cell lysis and environmental insults. A typical Gram-positive bacterial cell wall is composed of peptidoglycan and the secondary cell wall polymers, wall teichoic acid (WTA) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA). In many Gram-positive bacteria, LTA is a polyglycerol-phosphate chain that is decorated with d-alanine and sugar residues. However, the function of and proteins responsible for the glycosylation of LTA are either unknown or not well-characterized. Here, using bioinformatics, genetic, and NMR spectroscopy approaches, we found that the Bacillus subtilis csbB and yfhO genes are essential for LTA glycosylation. Interestingly, the Listeria

SUBMITTER: Rismondo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5836110 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature