Peptidoglycan and Teichoic Acid Levels and Alterations in Staphylococcus aureus by Cell-Wall and Whole-Cell Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.

ABSTRACT: Gram-positive bacteria surround themselves with a multilayered macromolecular cell wall that is essential to cell survival and serves as a major target for antibiotics. The cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus is composed of two major structural components, peptidoglycan (PG) and wall teichoic acid (WTA), together creating a heterogeneous and insoluble matrix that poses a challenge to quantitative compositional analysis. Here, we present 13C cross polarization magic angle spinning solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of intact cell walls, purified PG, and purified WTA. The spectra reveal the clear molecular differences in the two polymers and enable quantification of PG and WTA in isolated cell walls, an attractive alternative to estimating teichoic acid content from a phosph

SUBMITTER: Romaniuk JAH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6309457 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature