Beta-lactam-induced bacteriolysis of amino acid-deprived Escherichia coli is dependent on phospholipid synthesis

Adaptation of a fluoroquinolone-sensitive Shigella sonnei to norfloxacin exposure

Shigella causes shigellosis that requires antibiotic treatment in severe cases. Sublethal antibiotic concentrations can promote resistance, but their effect on antibiotic-sensitive bacteria before resistance development is unclear. This study investigated the effects of sublethal norfloxacin (NOR) challenges on a NOR-sensitive strain, Shigella sonnei UKMCC1015. Firstly, the whole genome of S. sonnei UKMCC1015 was assembled, and 45 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were identified. Interestingly, transcriptomic analysis showed that low NOR levels do not change either the expression of the AMR genes or NOR targets such as gyrA. Instead, multiple ribosomal protein genes were downregulated, which could be attributed to decreased ribosomal protein promoter activity, modulated by elevated guanosine pentaphosphate and tetraphosphate (ppGpp) levels. This alarmone is involved in the bacterial stringent response during environmental stress, and it is mainly produced from the ppGpp synthetase (relA). Additionally, we observed that a relA overexpression (prolonged period of elevated ppGpp levels) may negatively affect the NOR tolerance of the bacteria. In conclusion, this study revealed that a NOR-sensitive strain responds differently to sublethal NOR than commonly reported in resistant strains.

Diversity in E. coli (p)ppGpp Levels and Its Consequences

(p)ppGpp is at the core of global bacterial regulation as it controls growth, the most important aspect of life. It would therefore be expected that at least across a species the intrinsic (basal) levels of (p)ppGpp would be reasonably constant. On the other hand, the historical contingency driven by the selective pressures on bacterial populations vary widely resulting in broad genetic polymorphism. Given that (p)ppGpp controls the expression of many genes including those involved in the bacterial response to environmental challenges, it is not surprising that the intrinsic levels of (p)ppGpp would also vary considerably. In fact, null mutations or less severe genetic polymorphisms in genes associated with (p)ppGpp synthesis and hydrolysis are common. Such variation can be observed in laboratory strains, in natural isolates as well as in evolution experiments. High (p)ppGpp levels result in low growth rate and high tolerance to environmental stresses. Other aspects such as virulence and antimicrobial resistance are also influenced by the intrinsic levels of (p)ppGpp. A case in point is the production of Shiga toxin by certain E. coli strains which is inversely correlated to (p)ppGpp basal level. Conversely, (p)ppGpp concentration is positively correlated to increased tolerance to different antibiotics such as β-lactams, vancomycin, and others. Here we review the variations in intrinsic (p)ppGpp levels and its consequences across the E. coli species.

(p)ppGpp and the Stringent Response: An Emerging Threat to Antibiotic Therapy

In 1969, Cashel and Gallant first observed the presence of (p)ppGpp-the signaling molecule of the stringent response-in starved bacterial cells. Fifty years later, (p)ppGpp and the stringent response have emerged as essential master regulators of not only the bacterial response to stress but also almost all aspects of bacterial physiology, virulence, and immune evasion. More worryingly, a wealth of data now indicate that (p)ppGpp and stringent response activation pose a serious threat to the efficacy and clinical success of antimicrobial therapy. Here, we focus on the central role that (p)ppGpp and the stringent response play in the phenomenon of antibiotic tolerance, as well as the acquisition, development, and expression of antibiotic resistance. We review these consequences of stringent response activation in relation to the main proteins involved in (p)ppGpp production and control, in particular the complex interplay between monofunctional and bifunctional long RelA/SpoT homologues (RSHs) and small alarmone synthetases (SASs). We also review the growing evidence to suggest that there are multiple other indirect pathways of stringent response induction that can affect antibiotic efficacy. Finally, we summarize recent studies that indicate the in vivo and clinical impact of (p)ppGpp production on antibiotic treatment outcomes. We conclude by reviewing the progress to date in the search for novel therapeutics that target the stringent response.

Subinhibitory Concentrations of Bacteriostatic Antibiotics Induce relA-Dependent and relA-Independent Tolerance to β-Lactams

The nucleotide (p)ppGpp is a key regulator of bacterial metabolism, growth, stress tolerance, and virulence. During amino acid starvation, the Escherichia coli (p)ppGpp synthetase RelA is activated by deacylated tRNA in the ribosomal A-site. An increase in (p)ppGpp is believed to drive the formation of antibiotic-tolerant persister cells, prompting the development of strategies to inhibit (p)ppGpp synthesis. We show that in a biochemical system from purified E. coli components, the antibiotic thiostrepton efficiently inhibits RelA activation by the A-site tRNA. In bacterial cultures, the ribosomal inhibitors thiostrepton, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline all efficiently abolish accumulation of (p)ppGpp induced by the Ile-tRNA synthetase inhibitor mupirocin. This abolishment, however, does not reduce the persister level. In contrast, the combination of dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor trimethoprim with mupirocin, tetracycline, or chloramphenicol leads to ampicillin tolerance. The effect is independent of RelA functionality, specific to β-lactams, and not observed with the fluoroquinolone norfloxacin. These results refine our understanding of (p)ppGpp's role in antibiotic tolerance and persistence and demonstrate unexpected drug interactions that lead to tolerance to bactericidal antibiotics.

HipA-triggered growth arrest and β-lactam tolerance in Escherichia coli are mediated by RelA-dependent ppGpp synthesis

Persistence is a phenomenon whereby a subpopulation of bacterial cells enters a transient growth-arrested state that confers antibiotic tolerance. While entrance into persistence has been linked to the activities of toxin proteins, the molecular mechanisms by which toxins induce growth arrest and the persistent state remain unclear. Here, we show that overexpression of the protein kinase HipA in Escherichia coli triggers growth arrest by activating synthesis of the alarmone guanosine tetraphosphate (ppGpp) by the enzyme RelA, a signal typically associated with amino acid starvation. We further demonstrate that chemically suppressing ppGpp synthesis with chloramphenicol relieves inhibition of DNA replication initiation and RNA synthesis in HipA-arrested cells and restores vulnerability to β-lactam antibiotics. HipA-arrested cells maintain glucose uptake and oxygen consumption and accumulate amino acids as a consequence of translational inhibition. We harness the active metabolism of HipA-arrested cells to provide a bacteriophage-resistant platform for the production of biotechnologically relevant compounds, which may represent an innovative solution to the costly problem of phage contamination in industrial fermentations.

A universal fluid cell for the imaging of biological specimens in the atomic force microscope

Recently, atomic force microscope (AFM) manufacturers have begun producing instruments specifically designed to image biological specimens. In most instances, they are integrated with an inverted optical microscope, which permits concurrent optical and AFM imaging. An important component of the set-up is the imaging chamber, whose design determines the nature of the experiments that can be conducted. Many different imaging chamber designs are available, usually designed to optimize a single parameter, such as the dimensions of the substrate or the volume of fluid that can be used throughout the experiment. In this report, we present a universal fluid cell, which simultaneously optimizes all of the parameters that are important for the imaging of biological specimens in the AFM. This novel imaging chamber has been successfully tested using mammalian, plant, and microbial cells.

Peptidoglycan hydrolases of Escherichia coli

The review summarizes the abundant information on the 35 identified peptidoglycan (PG) hydrolases of Escherichia coli classified into 12 distinct families, including mainly glycosidases, peptidases, and amidases. An attempt is also made to critically assess their functions in PG maturation, turnover, elongation, septation, and recycling as well as in cell autolysis. There is at least one hydrolytic activity for each bond linking PG components, and most hydrolase genes were identified. Few hydrolases appear to be individually essential. The crystal structures and reaction mechanisms of certain hydrolases having defined functions were investigated. However, our knowledge of the biochemical properties of most hydrolases still remains fragmentary, and that of their cellular functions remains elusive. Owing to redundancy, PG hydrolases far outnumber the enzymes of PG biosynthesis. The presence of the two sets of enzymes acting on the PG bonds raises the question of their functional correlations. It is difficult to understand why E. coli keeps such a large set of PG hydrolases. The subtle differences in substrate specificities between the isoenzymes of each family certainly reflect a variety of as-yet-unidentified physiological functions. Their study will be a far more difficult challenge than that of the steps of the PG biosynthesis pathway.

Increased mutation frequency in redox-impaired Escherichia coli due to RelA- and RpoS-mediated repression of DNA repair

Balancing of reducing equivalents is a fundamental issue in bacterial metabolism and metabolic engineering. Mutations in the key metabolic genes ldhA and pflB of Escherichia coli are known to stall anaerobic growth and fermentation due to a buildup of intracellular NADH. We observed that the rate of spontaneous mutation in E. coli BW25113 (DeltaldhA DeltapflB) was an order of magnitude higher than that in wild-type (WT) E. coli BW25113. We hypothesized that the increased mutation frequency was due to an increased NADH/NAD(+) ratio in this strain. Using several redox-impaired strains of E. coli and different redox conditions, we confirmed a significant correlation (P < 0.01) between intracellular-NADH/NAD(+) ratio and mutation frequency. To identify the genetic basis for this relationship, whole-genome transcriptional profiles were compared between BW25113 WT and BW25113 (DeltaldhA DeltapflB). This analysis revealed that the genes involved in DNA repair were expressed at significantly lower levels in BW25113 (DeltaldhA DeltapflB). Direct measurements of the extent of DNA repair in BW25113 (DeltaldhA DeltapflB) subjected to UV exposure confirmed that DNA repair was inhibited. To identify a direct link between DNA repair and intracellular-redox ratio, the stringent-response-regulatory gene relA and the global-stress-response-regulatory gene rpoS were deleted. In both cases, the mutation frequencies were restored to BW25113 WT levels.

Delineation of a bacterial starvation stress response network which can mediate antibiotic tolerance development

This study aimed at elucidating the physiological basis of bacterial antibiotic tolerance. By use of a combined phenotypic and gene knockout approach, exogenous nutrient composition was identified as a crucial environmental factor which could mediate progressive development of tolerance with markedly varied drug specificity and sustainability. Deprivation of amino acids was a prerequisite for tolerance formation, conferring condition-specific phenotypes against inhibitors of cell wall synthesis and DNA replication (ampicillin and ofloxacin, respectively), according to the relative abundances of ammonium salts, phosphate, and nucleobases. Upon further depletion of glucose, this variable phase consistently evolved into a sustainable mode, along with enhanced capacity to withstand the effect of the protein synthesis inhibitor gentamicin. Nevertheless, all phenotypes produced during spontaneous nutrient depletion lacked the sustainable, multidrug-tolerant features exhibited by the stationary-phase population and were attributed to complex interaction between starvation-mediated metabolic and stress protection responses on the basis of the following reasons: (i) the nutrition-dependent tolerance characteristics observed suggested that adaptive biosynthetic mechanisms could suppress but not fully avert tolerance under transient starvation conditions; (ii) formation of specific phenotypes could be inhibited by suppressing protein synthesis prior to nutrient depletion; (iii) bacteriostatic drugs produced only weak tolerance in the absence of starvation signals; and (iv) the attenuation of the stringent and SOS responses, as well as the functionality of other putative tolerance determinants, including rpoS, hipA, glpD, and phoU, could alter the induction requirement and drug specificity of the resultant phenotypes. These data reveal the common physiological grounds characteristic of starvation responses and the onset of antibiotic tolerance in bacteria.

Effects of oxygen on biofilm formation and the AtlA autolysin of Streptococcus mutans

The Streptococcus mutans atlA gene encodes an autolysin required for biofilm maturation and biogenesis of a normal cell surface. We found that the capacity to form biofilms by S. mutans, one of the principal causative agents of dental caries, was dramatically impaired by growth of the organism in an aerated environment and that cells exposed to oxygen displayed marked changes in surface protein profiles. Inactivation of the atlA gene alleviated repression of biofilm formation in the presence of oxygen. Also, the formation of long chains, a characteristic of AtlA-deficient strains, was less evident in cells grown with aeration. The SMu0629 gene is immediately upstream of atlA and encodes a product that contains a C-X-X-C motif, a characteristic of thiol-disulfide oxidoreductases. Inactivation of SMu0629 significantly reduced the levels of AtlA protein and led to resistance to autolysis. The SMu0629 mutant also displayed an enhanced capacity to form biofilms in the presence of oxygen compared to that of the parental strain. The expression of SMu0629 was shown to be under the control of the VicRK two-component system, which influences oxidative stress tolerance in S. mutans. Disruption of vicK also led to inhibition of processing of AtlA, and the mutant was hyperresistant to autolysis. When grown under aerobic conditions, the vicK mutant also showed significantly increased biofilm formation compared to strain UA159. This study illustrates the central role of AtlA and VicK in orchestrating growth on surfaces and envelope biogenesis in response to redox conditions.

The atlA operon of Streptococcus mutans: role in autolysin maturation and cell surface biogenesis

The Smu0630 protein (AtlA) was recently shown to be involved in cell separation, biofilm formation, and autolysis. Here, transcriptional studies revealed that atlA is part of a multigene operon under the control of at least three promoters. The morphology and biofilm-forming capacity of a nonpolar altA mutant could be restored to that of the wild-type strain by adding purified AtlA protein to the medium. A series of truncated derivatives of AtlA revealed that full activity required the C terminus and repeat regions. AtlA was cell associated and readily extractable from with sodium dodecyl sulfate. Of particular interest, the surface protein profile of AtlA-deficient strains was dramatically altered compared to the wild-type strain, as was the nature of the association of the multifunctional adhesin P1 with the cell wall. In addition, AtlA-deficient strains failed to develop competence as effectively as the parental strain. Mutation of thmA, which can be cotranscribed with atlA and encodes a putative pore-forming protein, resulted in a phenotype very similar to that of the AtlA-deficient strain. ThmA was also shown to be required for efficient processing of AtlA to its mature form, and treatment of the thmA mutant strain with full-length AtlA protein did not restore normal cell separation and biofilm formation. The effects of mutating other genes in the operon on cell division, biofilm formation, or AtlA biogenesis were not as profound. This study reveals that AtlA is a surface-associated protein that plays a critical role in the network connecting cell surface biogenesis, biofilm formation, genetic competence, and autolysis.

The role of bacteriolysis in the pathophysiology of inflammation, infection and post-infectious sequelae

The literature dealing with the biochemical basis of bacteriolysis and its role in inflammation, infection and in post-infectious sequelae is reviewed and discussed. Bacteriolysis is an event that may occur when normal microbial multiplication is altered due to an uncontrolled activation of a series of autolytic cell-wall breaking enzymes (muramidases). While a low-level bacteriolysis sometimes occurs physiologically, due to "mistakes" in cell separation, a pronounced cell wall breakdown may occur following bacteriolysis induced either by beta-lactam antibiotics or by a large variety of bacteriolysis-inducing cationic peptides. These include spermine, spermidine, bactericidal peptides defensins, bacterial permeability increasing peptides from neutrophils, cationic proteins from eosinophils, lysozyme, myeloperoxidase, lactoferrin, the highly cationic proteinases elastase and cathepsins, PLA2, and certain synthetic polyamino acids. The cationic agents probably function by deregulating lipoteichoic acid (LTA) in Gram-positive bacteria and phospholipids in Gram-negative bacteria, the presumed regulators of the autolytic enzyme systems (muramidases). When bacteriolysis occurs in vivo, cell-wall- and -membrane-associated lipopolysaccharide (LPS (endotoxin)), lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and peptidoglycan (PPG), are released. These highly phlogistic agents can act on macrophages, either individually or in synergy, to induce the generation and release of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, cytotoxic cytokines, hydrolases, proteinases, and also to activate the coagulation and complement cascades. All these agents and processes are involved in the pathophysiology of septic shock and multiple organ failure resulting from severe microbial infections. Bacteriolysis induced in in vitro models, either by polycations or by beta-lactams, could be effectively inhibited by sulfated polysaccharides, by D-amino acids as well as by certain anti-bacteriolytic antibiotics. However, within phagocytic cells in inflammatory sites, bacteriolysis tends to be strongly inhibited presumably due to the inactivation by oxidants and proteinases of the bacterial muramidases. This might results in a long persistence of non-biodegradable cell-wall components causing granulomatous inflammation. However, persistence of microbial cell walls in vivo may also boost innate immunity against infections and against tumor-cell proliferation. Therapeutic strategies to cope with the deleterious effects of bacteriolysis in vivo include combinations of autolysin inhibitors with combinations of certain anti-inflammatory agents. These might inhibit the synergistic tissue- and- organ-damaging "cross talks" which lead to septic shock and to additional post-infectious sequelae.

Inhibition of peptidoglycan hydrolase activity in vivo and in vitro by energy uncouplers in Escherichia coli

The effects of energy uncouplers on in vivo and in vitro peptidoglycan hydrolase activities in Escherichia coli were determined. Sodium azide, potassium cyanide, and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone all inhibited ampicillin-induced lysis of exponential phase cultures, even when they were added to lysis-committed cultures. These energy uncouplers also inhibited the solubilization of radiolabeled peptidoglycan by bacterial suspensions that had been treated with 5% trichloroacetic acid by the method of Hartmann et al.3 to activate the peptidoglycan hydrolases. Therefore, the in vivo and in vitro activities of peptidoglycan hydrolases in E. coli are dependent on membrane energization.

The intrinsic resistance of Escherichia coli to various antimicrobial agents requires ppGpp and sigma s

We have examined the effect of a wide range of antimicrobial compounds (antibiotics and biocides) on the growth of various strains of Escherichia coli which vary in their ability to produce ppGpp and sigma s. We conclude that strains able to synthesize ppGpp, either in a RelA- or SpoT-dependent manner, possess a greater resistance to antimicrobial compounds compared with strains that cannot produce ppGpp. Investigation of an E. coli strain, unable to produce sigma s, and an isogenic parent strain, suggests that there is a requirement for this sigma factor in increased expression of intrinsic resistance. We propose that ppGpp is required to induce production of sigma s, which in turn directs gene expression of intrinsic resistance determinants.

Isolation of polymyxin B-susceptible mutants of Burkholderia pseudomallei and molecular characterization of genetic loci involved in polymyxin B resistance

Burkholderia pseudomallei is a gram-negative bacterium that causes the disease known as melioidosis. This pathogen is endemic to Southeast Asia and northern Australia and is particularly problematic in northeastern Thailand. It has been previously reported that B. pseudomallei is resistant to the killing action of cationic antimicrobial peptides, including human neutrophil peptide, protamine sulfate, poly-L-lysine, magainins, and polymyxins. Recently, we have also found that the virulent clinical isolate B. pseudomallei 1026b is capable of replicating in media containing polymyxin B at concentrations of >100 mg/ml. In order to identify genetic loci that are associated with this particular resistance phenotype, we employed a Tn5-OT182 mutagenesis system in coordination with a replica plating screen to isolate polymyxin B-susceptible mutants. Of the 17,000 Tn5-OT182 mutants screened via this approach, five polymyxin B-susceptible mutants were obtained. Three of these mutants harbored Tn5-OT182 insertions within a genetic locus demonstrating strong homology to the lytB gene present in other gram-negative bacteria. Of the remaining two mutants, one contained a transposon insertion in a locus involved in lipopolysaccharide core biosynthesis (waaF), while the other contained an insertion in an open reading frame homologous to UDP-glucose dehydrogenase genes. Isogenic mutants were also constructed via allelic exchange and used in complementation analysis studies to further characterize the relative importance of each of the various genetic loci with respect to the polymyxin B resistance phenotype exhibited by B. pseudomallei 1026b.

Linkage map of Escherichia coli K-12, edition 10: the traditional map

This map is an update of the edition 9 map by Berlyn et al. (M. K. B. Berlyn, K. B. Low, and K. E. Rudd, p. 1715-1902, in F. C. Neidhardt et al., ed., Escherichia coli and Salmonella: cellular and molecular biology, 2nd ed., vol. 2, 1996). It uses coordinates established by the completed sequence, expressed as 100 minutes for the entire circular map, and adds new genes discovered and established since 1996 and eliminates those shown to correspond to other known genes. The latter are included as synonyms. An alphabetical list of genes showing map location, synonyms, the protein or RNA product of the gene, phenotypes of mutants, and reference citations is provided. In addition to genes known to correspond to gene sequences, other genes, often older, that are described by phenotype and older mapping techniques and that have not been correlated with sequences are included.

Temperature sensitivity of bacteriolysis induced by beta-lactam antibiotics in amino acid-deprived Escherichia coli

The temperature-sensitive penicillin tolerance response previously reported in amino acid-deprived Escherichia coli (W. Kusser and E. E. Ishiguro, J. Bacteriol. 169:2310-2312, 1987) was not due to the induction of the heat shock response resulting from a temperature upshift and was therefore unrelated to the findings of another report (J. K. Powell and K. D. Young, J. Bacteriol. 173:4021-4026, 1991) indicating a positive correlation between the expression of heat shock proteins and penicillin tolerance. The thermosensitive event occurred in the lysis induction stage.

Occurrence of homologs of the Escherichia coli lytB gene in gram-negative bacterial species

The Escherichia coli LytB protein regulates the activity of guanosine 3',5'-bispyrophosphate synthetase I (RelA). A Southern blot analysis of chromosomal DNA with the E. coli lytB gene as a probe revealed the presence of lytB homologs in all of the gram-negative bacterial species examined but not in gram-positive species. The lytB homologs from Enterobacter aerogenes and Pseudomonas fluorescens complemented the E. coli lytB44 mutant allele.

Morphogenesis of Escherichia coli

The shape of Escherichia coli is strikingly simple compared to those of higher eukaryotes. In fact, the end result of E. coli morphogenesis is a cylindrical tube with hemispherical caps. It is argued that physical principles affect biological forms. In this view, genes code for products that contribute to the production of suitable structures for physical factors to act upon. After introduction of a physical model, the discussion is focused on the shape-maintaining (peptidoglycan) layer of E. coli. This is followed by a detailed analysis of the structural relationship of the cellular interior to the cytoplasmic membrane. A basic theme of this review is that the transcriptionally active nucleoid and the cytoplasmic translation machinery form a structural continuity with the growing cellular envelope. An attempt has been made to show how this dynamic relationship during the cell cycle affects cell polarity and how it leads to cell division.

Growth of the stress-bearing and shape-maintaining murein sacculus of Escherichia coli

To withstand the high intracellular pressure, the cell wall of most bacteria is stabilized by a unique cross-linked biopolymer called murein or peptidoglycan. It is made of glycan strands [poly-(GlcNAc-MurNAc)], which are linked by short peptides to form a covalently closed net. Completely surrounding the cell, the murein represents a kind of bacterial exoskeleton known as the murein sacculus. Not only does the sacculus endow bacteria with mechanical stability, but in addition it maintains the specific shape of the cell. Enlargement and division of the murein sacculus is a prerequisite for growth of the bacterium. Two groups of enzymes, hydrolases and synthases, have to cooperate to allow the insertion of new subunits into the murein net. The action of these enzymes must be well coordinated to guarantee growth of the stress-bearing sacculus without risking bacteriolysis. Protein-protein interaction studies suggest that this is accomplished by the formation of a multienzyme complex, a murein-synthesizing machinery combining murein hydrolases and synthases. Enlargement of both the multilayered murein of gram-positive and the thin, single-layered murein of gram-negative bacteria seems to follow an inside-to-outside growth strategy. New material is hooked in a relaxed state underneath the stress-bearing sacculus before it becomes inserted upon cleavage of covalent bonds in the layer(s) under tension. A model is presented that postulates that maintenance of bacterial shape is achieved by the enzyme complex copying the preexisting murein sacculus that plays the role of a template.

Ampicillin-induced bacteriolysis of Escherichia coli is not affected by reduction in levels of anionic phospholipids

Anionic phospholipids have been shown to interact with both membrane-associated proteins and integral membrane proteins. The objective of this work was to determine whether bacteriolysis induced by treatment with ampicillin was influenced by the levels of anionic membrane phospholipids in Escherichia coli strain HDL11. The pgsA gene, encoding phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase, in HDL11 is under the control of lacOP, and the levels of anionic membrane phospholipids are consequently dependent on IPTG. The results indicate that limiting the amounts of phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin did not affect the lysis process in both growing and nongrowing bacteria.

Role of precursor translocation in coordination of murein and phospholipid synthesis in Escherichia coli

Inhibition of phospholipid synthesis in Escherichia coli by either cerulenin treatment or glycerol starvation of a glycerol-auxotrophic mutant resulted in a concomitant block of murein synthesis. The intracellular pool of cytoplasmic and lipid-linked murein precursors was not affected by an inhibition of phospholipid synthesis, nor was the activity of the penicillin-binding proteins. In addition, a decrease in the activity of the two lipoprotein murein hydrolases, the lytic transglycosylases A and B, could not be demonstrated. The indirect inhibition of murein synthesis by cerulenin resulted in a 68% decrease of trimeric muropeptide structures, proposed to represent the attachment points of newly added murein. Importantly, inhibition of phospholipid synthesis also inhibited O-antigen synthesis with a sensitivity and kinetics similar to those of murein synthesis. It is concluded that the step common for murein and O-antigen synthesis, the translocation of the respective bactoprenolphosphate-linked precursor molecules, is affected by an inhibition of phospholipid synthesis. Consistent with this assumption, it was shown that murein synthesis no longer depends on ongoing phospholipid synthesis in ether-permeabilized cells. We propose that the assembly of a murein-synthesizing machinery, a multienzyme complex consisting of murein hydrolases and synthases, at specific sites of the membrane, where integral membrane proteins such as RodA and FtsW facilitate the translocation of the lipid-linked murein precursors to the periplasm, depends on ongoing phospholipid synthesis. This would explain the well-known phenomenon that both murein synthesis and antibiotic-induced autolysis depend on phospholipid synthesis and thereby indirectly on the stringent control.

Effects of inhibitors of protein synthesis on lysis of Escherichia coli induced by beta-lactam antibiotics

The role of protein synthesis in ampicillin-induced lysis of Escherichia coli was investigated. The inhibition of protein synthesis through amino acid deprivation resulted in the rapid development of ampicillin tolerance as a consequence of the stringent response, as previously reported. In contrast, inhibition of protein synthesis by use of ribosome inhibitors such as chloramphenicol did not readily confer ampicillin tolerance and, in fact, promoted the development of both stages of the ampicillin-induced lysis process, i.e., (i) an ampicillin-dependent stage which apparently involves the interaction of penicillin-binding proteins with ampicillin and (ii) an ampicillin-independent stage which may represent the events leading to the deregulation of peptidoglycan hydrolase activity. We propose that lysis was facilitated when protein synthesis was inhibited because the production of new penicillin-binding proteins to replace those which were ampicillin inhibited was prevented under these conditions.

From growth to autolysis: the murein hydrolases in Escherichia coli

Murein hydrolases cleave bonds in the bacterial exoskeleton, the murein (peptidoglycan) sacculus, a covalently closed bag-shaped polymer made of glycan strands that are crosslinked by peptides. During growth and division of a bacterial cell, these enzymes are involved in the controlled metabolism of the murein sacculus. Murein hydrolases are believed to function as pacemaker enzymes for the enlargement of the murein sacculus since opening of bonds in the murein net is needed to allow the insertion of new subunits into the sacculus. Furthermore, they are responsible for splitting the septum during cell division. The murein turnover products that are released during growth are further degraded by these (1 --> 6)-anhydromuramic acid derivatives by an intramolecular transglycosylation reaction.

Direct correlation between overproduction of guanosine 3',5'-bispyrophosphate (ppGpp) and penicillin tolerance in Escherichia coli

The penicillin tolerance exhibited by amino acid-deprived Escherichia coli has been previously proposed to be a consequence of the stringent response. Evidence indicating that penicillin tolerance is directly attributable to guanosine 3',5'-bispyrophosphate (ppGpp) overproduction and not to some other effect of amino acid deprivation is now presented. Accumulation of ppGpp in the absence of amino acid deprivation was achieved by the controlled overexpression of the cloned relA gene, which encodes ppGpp synthetase I. The overproduction of ppGpp resulted in the inhibition of both peptidoglycan and phospholipid synthesis and in penicillin tolerance. The minimum concentration of ppGpp required to establish these phenomena was determined to be 870 pmol per mg (dry weight) of cells. This represented about 70% of the maximum level of ppGpp accumulated during the stringent response. Penicillin tolerance and the inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis were both suppressed when ppGpp accumulation was prevented by treatment with chloramphenicol, an inhibitor of ppGpp synthetase I activation. Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, the product of plsB, was recently identified as the main site of ppGpp inhibition in phospholipid synthesis (R. J. Health, S. Jackowski, and C. O. Rock, J. Biol. Chem. 269:26584-26590, 1994). The overexpression of the cloned plsB gene reversed the penicillin tolerance conferred by ppGpp accumulation. This result supports previous observations indicating that the membrane-associated events in peptidoglycan metabolism were dependent on ongoing phospholipid synthesis. Interestingly, treatment with beta-lactam antibiotics by itself induced ppGpp accumulation, but the maximum levels attained were insufficient to confer penicillin tolerance.