Crucial role for central carbon metabolism in the bacterial L-form switch and killing by β-lactam antibiotics.

ABSTRACT: The peptidoglycan cell wall is an essential structure for the growth of most bacteria. However, many are capable of switching into a wall-deficient L-form state in which they are resistant to antibiotics that target cell wall synthesis under osmoprotective conditions, including host environments. L-form cells may have an important role in chronic or recurrent infections. The cellular pathways involved in switching to and from the L-form state remain poorly understood. This work shows that the lack of a cell wall, or blocking its synthesis with β-lactam antibiotics, results in an increased flux through glycolysis. This leads to the production of reactive oxygen species from the respiratory chain, which prevents L-form growth. Compensating for the metabolic imbalance by slowing down glycolys

SUBMITTER: Kawai Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6755032 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature