A dual-chain assembly pathway generates the high structural diversity of cell-wall polysaccharides in Lactococcus lactis.

ABSTRACT: In Lactococcus lactis, cell-wall polysaccharides (CWPSs) act as receptors for many bacteriophages, and their structural diversity among strains explains, at least partially, the narrow host range of these viral predators. Previous studies have reported that lactococcal CWPS consists of two distinct components, a variable chain exposed at the bacterial surface, named polysaccharide pellicle (PSP), and a more conserved rhamnan chain anchored to, and embedded inside, peptidoglycan. These two chains appear to be covalently linked to form a large heteropolysaccharide. The molecular machinery for biosynthesis of both components is encoded by a large gene cluster, named cwps In this study, using a CRISPR/Cas-based method, we performed a mutational analysis of the cwps genes.

SUBMITTER: Theodorou I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6873199 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature