biostudies-literatureGoodall ECAThe University of QueenslandChina Sponsorship CouncilNational Health and Medical Research CouncilAustralian research councilBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research CouncilH2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actionse1009586https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8741058biostudies-literatureUnknown17(12)The cell envelope is essential for viability in all domains of life. It retains enzymes and substrates within a confined space while providing a protective barrier to the external environment. Destabilising the envelope of bacterial pathogens is a common strategy employed by antimicrobial treatment. However, even in one of the best studied organisms, Escherichia coli, there remain gaps in our understanding of how the synthesis of the successive layers of the cell envelope are coordinated during growth and cell division. Here, we used a whole-genome phenotypic screen to identify mutants with a defective cell envelope. We report that loss of yhcB, a conserved gene of unknown function, results in loss of envelope stability, increased cell permeability and dysregulated control of cell size. UsPLoS geneticsLoss of YhcB results in dysregulation of coordinated peptidoglycan, LPS and phospholipid synthesis during Escherichia coli cell growth.PMC8741058Strategic Funds721484APP1140064APP1150083APP1156489MIBTPCE140100036Icke CCunningham AFDa Costa RHeinz EJones ABoelter GRae JHenderson IRWinkle MBanzhaf MBlaskovich MAGoodall ECAParton RGZhang BBryant JAVollmer WRooke JLTan WBIsom GLYang ZWarner IChng SSCole JAPullela KDelhaye ACollet JFfalseLoss of YhcB results in dysregulation of coordinated peptidoglycan, LPS and phospholipid synthesis during Escherichia coli cell growth.The cell envelope is essential for viability in all domains of life. It retains enzymes and substrates within a confined space while providing a protective barrier to the external environment. Destabilising the envelope of bacterial pathogens is a common strategy employed by antimicrobial treatment. However, even in one of the best studied organisms, Escherichia coli, there remain gaps in our understanding of how the synthesis of the successive layers of the cell envelope are coordinated during growth and cell division. Here, we used a whole-genome phenotypic screen to identify mutants with a defective cell envelope. We report that loss of yhcB, a conserved gene of unknown function, results in loss of envelope stability, increased cell permeability and dysregulated control of cell size. Us2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Dec2026-05-08T17:24:42.961Z2022-02-11T15:10:14.821ZS-EPMC87410583494190310.1371/journal.pgen.1009586