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Fan H, Dukenbayev K, Nurtay L, Nazir F, Daniyeva N, Pham TT, Benassi E. Mechanism of the antimicrobial activity induced by phosphatase inhibitor sodium ortho-vanadate. J Inorg Biochem 2024; 258:112619. [PMID: 38823066 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2024.112619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024]
Abstract
The present study describes a novel antimicrobial mechanism based on Sodium Orthovanadate (SOV), an alkaline phosphatase inhibitor. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were employed to examine the surface morphologies of the test organism, Escherichia coli (E. coli), during various antibacterial phases. Our results indicated that SOV kills bacteria by attacking cell wall growth and development, leaving E. coli's outer membrane intact. Our antimicrobial test indicated that the MIC of SOV for both E. coli and Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis) is 40 μM. A combination of quantum mechanical calculations and vibrational spectroscopy revealed that divanadate from SOV strongly coordinates with Ca2+ and Mg2+, which are the activity centers for the phosphatase that regulates bacterial cell wall synthesis. The current study is the first to propose the antibacterial mechanism caused by SOV attacking cell wall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Fan
- Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan.
| | - Kanat Dukenbayev
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, School of Engineering and Digital Sciences, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan.
| | - Lazzat Nurtay
- Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan.
| | - Faisal Nazir
- Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan.
| | - Nurgul Daniyeva
- Core Facility, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan.
| | - Tri T Pham
- Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Humanities, Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan 010000, Republic of Kazakhstan.
| | - Enrico Benassi
- Novosibirsk State University, Pirogov str. 2, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia.
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2
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Jitsukawa T, Watanabe S, Shigeri Y, Fujisaki S. Quantification of polyprenyl diphosphates in Escherichia coli cells using high-performance liquid chromatography. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2024; 88:429-436. [PMID: 38192035 DOI: 10.1093/bbb/zbae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024]
Abstract
Dephosphorylation of undecaprenyl diphosphate is a crucial step in the synthesis of undecaprenyl phosphate, which is essential for cell wall synthesis. We have developed a method for the quantification of intracellular polyprenyl diphosphates, which have never before been measured directly. Polyprenyl phosphates and diphosphates prepared by chemical phosphorylation of polyprenols from Staphylococcus aureus were used to establish the conditions for fractionation by ion-exchange chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). By using an elution solvent containing tetraethylammonium phosphate as an ion-pair reagent for HPLC, polyprenyl phosphate and polyprenyl diphosphate with carbon numbers from 40 to 55 could be detected as separate peaks from the reversed-phase column. This analytical method was applied to lipids extracted from Escherichia coli to determine the intracellular levels of octaprenyl phosphate, undecaprenyl phosphate, octaprenyl diphosphate, and undecaprenyl diphosphate. This is the first report of separate measurement of cellular levels of polyprenyl phosphates and polyprenyl diphosphates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomotaka Jitsukawa
- Department of Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
| | - Soichiro Watanabe
- Department of Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
| | - Yasushi Shigeri
- Department of Chemistry, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Wakayama, Japan
| | - Shingo Fujisaki
- Department of Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, Japan
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3
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Oluwole A, Hernández-Rocamora VM, Cao Y, Li X, Vollmer W, Robinson CV, Bolla JR. Real-Time Biosynthetic Reaction Monitoring Informs the Mechanism of Action of Antibiotics. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:7007-7017. [PMID: 38428018 PMCID: PMC10941186 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
The rapid spread of drug-resistant pathogens and the declining discovery of new antibiotics have created a global health crisis and heightened interest in the search for novel antibiotics. Beyond their discovery, elucidating mechanisms of action has necessitated new approaches, especially for antibiotics that interact with lipidic substrates and membrane proteins. Here, we develop a methodology for real-time reaction monitoring of the activities of two bacterial membrane phosphatases, UppP and PgpB. We then show how we can inhibit their activities using existing and newly discovered antibiotics such as bacitracin and teixobactin. Additionally, we found that the UppP dimer is stabilized by phosphatidylethanolamine, which, unexpectedly, enhanced the speed of substrate processing. Overall, our results demonstrate the potential of native mass spectrometry for real-time biosynthetic reaction monitoring of membrane enzymes, as well as their in situ inhibition and cofactor binding, to inform the mode of action of emerging antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham
O. Oluwole
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, U.K.
- The
Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.
| | - Víctor M. Hernández-Rocamora
- Centre
for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, U.K.
| | - Yihui Cao
- Department
of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Xuechen Li
- Department
of Chemistry, State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR 999077, China
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- Centre
for Bacterial Cell Biology, Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, U.K.
- Institute
for Molecular Bioscience, University of
Queensland, Carmody Road, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Carol V. Robinson
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, U.K.
- The
Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.
| | - Jani R. Bolla
- The
Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.
- Department
of Biology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RB, U.K.
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4
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Wang X, Xu Y, Martin NI, Breukink E. The enigmatic mode of action of the lantibiotic epilancin 15X. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2024; 1866:184282. [PMID: 38218577 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2024.184282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Epilancin 15X is a lantibiotic that has an antimicrobial activity in the nanomolar concentration range towards Staphylococcus simulans. Such low MICs usually imply that these peptides employ a mechanism of action (MoA) involving high affinity targets. Here we studied this MoA by using epilancin 15X's ability to dissipate the membrane potential of intact S. simulans cells. These membrane depolarization assays showed that treatment of the bacteria by antibiotics known to affect the bacterial cell wall synthesis pathway decreased the membrane depolarization effects of epilancin 15X. Disruption of the Lipid II cycle in intact bacteria using several methods led to a decrease in the activity of epilancin 15X. Antagonism-based experiments on 96-well plate and agar diffusion plate pointed towards a possible interaction between epilancin 15X and Lipid II and this was confirmed by Circular Dichroism (CD) based experiments. However, this interaction did not lead to a detectable effect on either carboxyfluorescein (CF) leakage or proton permeability. All experiments point to the involvement of a phosphodiester-containing target within a polyisoprene-based biosynthesis pathway, yet the exact identity of the target remains obscure so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqi Wang
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Yang Xu
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Nathaniel I Martin
- Biological Chemistry Group, Institute of Biology, Leiden University, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Eefjan Breukink
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Food Microbiotechnology Research of China, the Zhejiang Gongshang University of China, Hangzhou, China.
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5
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Kay EJ, Dooda MK, Bryant JC, Reid AJ, Wren BW, Troutman JM, Jorgenson MA. Engineering Escherichia coli for increased Und-P availability leads to material improvements in glycan expression technology. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:72. [PMID: 38429691 PMCID: PMC10908060 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02339-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacterial surface glycans are assembled by glycosyltransferases (GTs) that transfer sugar monomers to long-chained lipid carriers. Most bacteria employ the 55-carbon chain undecaprenyl phosphate (Und-P) to scaffold glycan assembly. The amount of Und-P available for glycan synthesis is thought to be limited by the rate of Und-P synthesis and by competition for Und-P between phosphoglycosyl transferases (PGTs) and GTs that prime glycan assembly (which we collectively refer to as PGT/GTs). While decreasing Und-P availability disrupts glycan synthesis and promotes cell death, less is known about the effects of increased Und-P availability. RESULTS To determine if cells can maintain higher Und-P levels, we first reduced intracellular competition for Und-P by deleting all known non-essential PGT/GTs in the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli (hereafter called ΔPGT/GT cells). We then increased the rate of Und-P synthesis in ΔPGT/GT cells by overexpressing the Und-P(P) synthase uppS from a plasmid (puppS). Und-P quantitation revealed that ΔPGT/GT/puppS cells can be induced to maintain 3-fold more Und-P than wild type cells. Next, we determined how increasing Und-P availability affects glycan expression. Interestingly, increasing Und-P availability increased endogenous and recombinant glycan expression. In particular, ΔPGT/GT/puppS cells could be induced to express 7-fold more capsule from Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 4 than traditional E. coli cells used to express recombinant glycans. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that the biotechnology standard bacterium E. coli can be engineered to maintain higher levels of Und-P. The results also strongly suggest that Und-P pathways can be engineered to increase the expression of potentially any Und-P-dependent polymer. Given that many bacterial glycans are central to the production of vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics, increasing Und-P availability should be a foremost consideration when designing bacterial glycan expression systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily J Kay
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Manoj K Dooda
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Joseph C Bryant
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham St. / Biomed I, Room 511 / Little Rock, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA
| | - Amanda J Reid
- Nanoscale Science Program, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Brendan W Wren
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Jerry M Troutman
- Nanoscale Science Program, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, 28223, USA
| | - Matthew A Jorgenson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham St. / Biomed I, Room 511 / Little Rock, Little Rock, AR, 72205, USA.
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6
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Hong Y, Hu D, Verderosa AD, Qin J, Totsika M, Reeves PR. Repeat-Unit Elongations To Produce Bacterial Complex Long Polysaccharide Chains, an O-Antigen Perspective. EcoSal Plus 2023; 11:eesp00202022. [PMID: 36622162 PMCID: PMC10729934 DOI: 10.1128/ecosalplus.esp-0020-2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The O-antigen, a long polysaccharide that constitutes the distal part of the outer membrane-anchored lipopolysaccharide, is one of the critical components in the protective outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. Most species produce one of the structurally diverse O-antigens, with nearly all the polysaccharide components having complex structures made by the Wzx/Wzy pathway. This pathway produces repeat-units of mostly 3-8 sugars on the cytosolic face of the cytoplasmic membrane that is translocated by Wzx flippase to the periplasmic face and polymerized by Wzy polymerase to give long-chain polysaccharides. The Wzy polymerase is a highly diverse integral membrane protein typically containing 10-14 transmembrane segments. Biochemical evidence confirmed that Wzy polymerase is the sole driver of polymerization, and recent progress also began to demystify its interacting partner, Wzz, shedding some light to speculate how the proteins may operate together during polysaccharide biogenesis. However, our knowledge of how the highly variable Wzy proteins work as part of the O-antigen processing machinery remains poor. Here, we discuss the progress to the current understanding of repeat-unit polymerization and propose an updated model to explain the formation of additional short chain O-antigen polymers found in the lipopolysaccharide of diverse Gram-negative species and their importance in the biosynthetic process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoqin Hong
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dalong Hu
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Anthony D. Verderosa
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jilong Qin
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Makrina Totsika
- Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Peter R. Reeves
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
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7
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Liu Y, Zhang Y, Kang C, Tian D, Lu H, Xu B, Xia Y, Kashiwagi A, Westermann M, Hoischen C, Xu J, Yomo T. Comparative genomics hints at dispensability of multiple essential genes in two Escherichia coli L-form strains. Biosci Rep 2023; 43:BSR20231227. [PMID: 37819245 PMCID: PMC10600066 DOI: 10.1042/bsr20231227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the critical role of bacterial cell walls in maintaining cell shapes, certain environmental stressors can induce the transition of many bacterial species into a wall-deficient state called L-form. Long-term induced Escherichia coli L-forms lose their rod shape and usually hold significant mutations that affect cell division and growth. Besides this, the genetic background of L-form bacteria is still poorly understood. In the present study, the genomes of two stable L-form strains of E. coli (NC-7 and LWF+) were sequenced and their gene mutation status was determined and compared with their parental strains. Comparative genomic analysis between two L-forms reveals both unique adaptions and common mutated genes, many of which belong to essential gene categories not involved in cell wall biosynthesis, indicating that L-form genetic adaptation impacts crucial metabolic pathways. Missense variants from L-forms and Lenski's long-term evolution experiment (LTEE) were analyzed in parallel using an optimized DeepSequence pipeline to investigate predicted mutation effects (α) on protein functions. We report that the two L-form strains analyzed display a frequency of 6-10% (0% for LTEE) in mutated essential genes where the missense variants have substantial impact on protein functions (α<0.5). This indicates the emergence of different survival strategies in L-forms through changes in essential genes during adaptions to cell wall deficiency. Collectively, our results shed light on the detailed genetic background of two E. coli L-forms and pave the way for further investigations of the gene functions in L-form bacterial models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunfei Liu
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Yueyue Zhang
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Chen Kang
- School of Software Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Di Tian
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Hui Lu
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Boying Xu
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
- Tongji University Cancer Center, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China
| | - Yang Xia
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Akiko Kashiwagi
- Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki 036-8561, Japan
| | - Martin Westermann
- Center for Electron Microscopy, Medical Faculty, Friedrich–Schiller–University Jena, Ziegelmühlenweg 1, D-07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Hoischen
- CF Imaging, Leibniz Institute On Aging, Fritz–Lipmann–Institute (FLI), Beutenbergstraße 11, 07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Jian Xu
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
| | - Tetsuya Yomo
- Laboratory of Biology and Information Science, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, PR China
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8
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Galinier A, Delan-Forino C, Foulquier E, Lakhal H, Pompeo F. Recent Advances in Peptidoglycan Synthesis and Regulation in Bacteria. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13050720. [PMID: 37238589 DOI: 10.3390/biom13050720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria must synthesize their cell wall and membrane during their cell cycle, with peptidoglycan being the primary component of the cell wall in most bacteria. Peptidoglycan is a three-dimensional polymer that enables bacteria to resist cytoplasmic osmotic pressure, maintain their cell shape and protect themselves from environmental threats. Numerous antibiotics that are currently used target enzymes involved in the synthesis of the cell wall, particularly peptidoglycan synthases. In this review, we highlight recent progress in our understanding of peptidoglycan synthesis, remodeling, repair, and regulation in two model bacteria: the Gram-negative Escherichia coli and the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis. By summarizing the latest findings in this field, we hope to provide a comprehensive overview of peptidoglycan biology, which is critical for our understanding of bacterial adaptation and antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Galinier
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR 7283, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, CNRS/Aix-Marseille Univ, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Clémentine Delan-Forino
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR 7283, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, CNRS/Aix-Marseille Univ, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Elodie Foulquier
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR 7283, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, CNRS/Aix-Marseille Univ, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Hakima Lakhal
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR 7283, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, CNRS/Aix-Marseille Univ, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13009 Marseille, France
| | - Frédérique Pompeo
- Laboratoire de Chimie Bactérienne, UMR 7283, Institut de Microbiologie de la Méditerranée, CNRS/Aix-Marseille Univ, 31 Chemin Joseph Aiguier, 13009 Marseille, France
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9
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Jukič M, Auger R, Folcher V, Proj M, Barreteau H, Gobec S, Touzé T. Towards discovery of inhibitors of the undecaprenyl-pyrophosphate phosphatase BacA by virtual high-throughput screening. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:2360-2371. [PMID: 35664230 PMCID: PMC9127117 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
BacA is an important conserved bacterial protein and a promising drug target. We identified the first small molecule inhibitors of BacA via ensemble docking. Novel inhibitors possess 5-sulfamoyl-2-thenoic acid scaffold. Hit compounds display IC50s from 42 to 374 μM and antibacterial activity on E. coli. Reported compounds are a valuable starting point for new antibacterial drug design.
Increasing resistance to common antibiotics is becoming a major challenge that requires the development of new antibacterial agents. Peptidoglycan is an essential heteropolymer of the bacterial envelope that ensures the integrity and shape of all bacteria and is also an important target for antibiotics. The biosynthesis of peptidoglycan depends on a lipid carrier, undecaprenyl phosphate. As a byproduct of peptidoglycan polymerization, the lipid carrier is released as undecaprenyl pyrophosphate, which must be recycled to allow new polymerization cycles. To this end, it undergoes a dephosphorylation process catalyzed by the membrane phosphatase BacA, which is specific and highly conserved in bacteria. In the present study, we identified small molecules displaying inhibitory potency towards BacA. We began by preparing a commercial compound library, followed by high-throughput virtual screening by ensemble docking using the 3D structure of BacA and molecular dynamics snapshots to account for the flexibility of the protein. Of 83 compounds computationally selected and tested in a biochemical assay, one sulfamoylthiophene molecule showed significant inhibition of the undecaprenyl pyrophosphate dephosphorylation activity catalyzed by BacA. Subsequently, an additional 33 scaffold analogs were selected and acquired, of which 6 compounds exhibited BacA inhibition. The IC50 values of these compounds ranged from 42 to 366 μM. In addition, significant antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli was observed in TolC/PAP2-depleted strains. We believe that the overall strategy followed in this study and the identified class of inhibitors provide a solid foundation for the further development of potent BacA-targeted inhibitors and the discovery of novel antibacterial compounds.
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10
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Kumar S, Mollo A, Kahne D, Ruiz N. The Bacterial Cell Wall: From Lipid II Flipping to Polymerization. Chem Rev 2022; 122:8884-8910. [PMID: 35274942 PMCID: PMC9098691 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall is an extra-cytoplasmic glycopeptide polymeric structure that protects bacteria from osmotic lysis and determines cellular shape. Since the cell wall surrounds the cytoplasmic membrane, bacteria must add new material to the PG matrix during cell elongation and division. The lipid-linked precursor for PG biogenesis, Lipid II, is synthesized in the inner leaflet of the cytoplasmic membrane and is subsequently translocated across the bilayer so that the PG building block can be polymerized and cross-linked by complex multiprotein machines. This review focuses on major discoveries that have significantly changed our understanding of PG biogenesis in the past decade. In particular, we highlight progress made toward understanding the translocation of Lipid II across the cytoplasmic membrane by the MurJ flippase, as well as the recent discovery of a novel class of PG polymerases, the SEDS (shape, elongation, division, and sporulation) glycosyltransferases RodA and FtsW. Since PG biogenesis is an effective target of antibiotics, these recent developments may lead to the discovery of much-needed new classes of antibiotics to fight bacterial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujeet Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Aurelio Mollo
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Daniel Kahne
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Natividad Ruiz
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
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11
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Jorgenson MA, Bryant JC. A genetic screen to identify factors affected by undecaprenyl phosphate recycling uncovers novel connections to morphogenesis in Escherichia coli. Mol Microbiol 2021; 115:191-207. [PMID: 32979869 PMCID: PMC10568968 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Undecaprenyl phosphate (Und-P) is an essential lipid carrier that ferries cell wall intermediates across the cytoplasmic membrane in bacteria. Und-P is generated by dephosphorylating undecaprenyl pyrophosphate (Und-PP). In Escherichia coli, BacA, PgpB, YbjG, and LpxT dephosphorylate Und-PP and are conditionally essential. To identify vulnerabilities that arise when Und-P metabolism is defective, we developed a genetic screen for synthetic interactions which, in combination with ΔybjG ΔlpxT ΔbacA, are lethal or reduce fitness. The screen uncovered novel connections to cell division, DNA replication/repair, signal transduction, and glutathione metabolism. Further analysis revealed several new morphogenes; loss of one of these, qseC, caused cells to enlarge and lyse. QseC is the sensor kinase component of the QseBC two-component system. Loss of QseC causes overactivation of the QseB response regulator by PmrB cross-phosphorylation. Here, we show that deleting qseB completely reverses the shape defect of ΔqseC cells, as does overexpressing rprA (a small RNA). Surprisingly, deleting pmrB only partially suppressed qseC-related shape defects. Thus, QseB is activated by multiple factors in QseC's absence and prior functions ascribed to QseBC may originate from cell wall defects. Altogether, our findings provide a framework for identifying new determinants of cell integrity that could be targeted in future therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A. Jorgenson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
| | - Joseph C. Bryant
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
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12
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Chang HY, Cheng TH, Wang AHJ. Structure, catalysis, and inhibition mechanism of prenyltransferase. IUBMB Life 2020; 73:40-63. [PMID: 33246356 PMCID: PMC7839719 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Isoprenoids, also known as terpenes or terpenoids, represent a large family of natural products composed of five‐carbon isopentenyl diphosphate or its isomer dimethylallyl diphosphate as the building blocks. Isoprenoids are structurally and functionally diverse and include dolichols, steroid hormones, carotenoids, retinoids, aromatic metabolites, the isoprenoid side‐chain of ubiquinone, and isoprenoid attached signaling proteins. Productions of isoprenoids are catalyzed by a group of enzymes known as prenyltransferases, such as farnesyltransferases, geranylgeranyltransferases, terpenoid cyclase, squalene synthase, aromatic prenyltransferase, and cis‐ and trans‐prenyltransferases. Because these enzymes are key in cellular processes and metabolic pathways, they are expected to be potential targets in new drug discovery. In this review, six distinct subsets of characterized prenyltransferases are structurally and mechanistically classified, including (1) head‐to‐tail prenyl synthase, (2) head‐to‐head prenyl synthase, (3) head‐to‐middle prenyl synthase, (4) terpenoid cyclase, (5) aromatic prenyltransferase, and (6) protein prenylation. Inhibitors of those enzymes for potential therapies against several diseases are discussed. Lastly, recent results on the structures of integral membrane enzyme, undecaprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatase, are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Yang Chang
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tien-Hsing Cheng
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Andrew H-J Wang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
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13
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Chiang CY, Chou CC, Chang HY, Hsu MF, Pao PJ, Chiang MH, Wang AHJ. Biochemical and molecular dynamics studies of archaeal polyisoprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatase from Saccharolobus solfataricus. Enzyme Microb Technol 2020; 139:109585. [DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2020.109585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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14
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Tian X, Auger R, Manat G, Kerff F, Mengin-Lecreulx D, Touzé T. Insight into the dual function of lipid phosphate phosphatase PgpB involved in two essential cell-envelope metabolic pathways in Escherichia coli. Sci Rep 2020; 10:13209. [PMID: 32764655 PMCID: PMC7413402 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-70047-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Ubiquitous PAP2 lipid phosphatases are involved in a wide array of central physiological functions. PgpB from Escherichia coli constitutes the archetype of this subfamily of membrane proteins. It displays a dual function by catalyzing the biosynthesis of two essential lipids, the phosphatidylglycerol (PG) and the undecaprenyl phosphate (C55-P). C55-P constitutes a lipid carrier allowing the translocation of peptidoglycan subunits across the plasma membrane. PG and C55-P are synthesized in a redundant manner by PgpB and other PAP2 and/or unrelated membrane phosphatases. Here, we show that PgpB is the sole, among these multiple phosphatases, displaying this dual activity. The inactivation of PgpB does not confer any apparent growth defect, but its inactivation together with another PAP2 alters the cell envelope integrity increasing the susceptibility to small hydrophobic compounds. Evidence is also provided of an interplay between PAP2s and the peptidoglycan polymerase PBP1A. In contrast to PGP hydrolysis, which relies on a His/Asp/His catalytic triad of PgpB, the mechanism of C55-PP hydrolysis appeared as only requiring the His/Asp diad, which led us to hypothesize distinct processes. Moreover, thermal stability analyses highlighted a substantial structural change upon phosphate binding by PgpB, supporting an induced-fit model of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xudong Tian
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Rodolphe Auger
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Guillaume Manat
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Frédéric Kerff
- Centre d'Ingénierie des Protéines, InBioS, Université de Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Dominique Mengin-Lecreulx
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Thierry Touzé
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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15
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Workman SD, Strynadka NCJ. A Slippery Scaffold: Synthesis and Recycling of the Bacterial Cell Wall Carrier Lipid. J Mol Biol 2020; 432:4964-4982. [PMID: 32234311 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2020.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The biosynthesis of bacterial cell envelope polysaccharides such as peptidoglycan relies on the use of a dedicated carrier lipid both for the assembly of precursors at the cytoplasmic face of the plasma membrane and for the translocation of lipid linked oligosaccharides across the plasma membrane into the periplasmic space. This dedicated carrier lipid, undecaprenyl phosphate, results from the dephosphorylation of undecaprenyl pyrophosphate, which is generated de novo in the cytoplasm by undecaprenyl pyrophosphate synthase and released as a by-product when newly synthesized glycans are incorporated into the existing cell envelope. The de novo synthesis of undecaprenyl pyrophosphate has been thoroughly characterized from a structural and mechanistic standpoint; however, its dephosphorylation to the active carrier lipid form, both in the course of de novo synthesis and recycling, has only been begun to be studied in depth in recent years. This review provides an overview of bacterial carrier lipid synthesis and presents the current state of knowledge regarding bacterial carrier lipid recycling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean D Workman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3
| | - Natalie C J Strynadka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Center for Blood Research, University of British Columbia, 2350 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z3.
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16
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Shi A, Yomano LP, York SW, Zheng H, Shanmugam KT, Ingram LO. Chromosomal mutations in Escherichia coli that improve tolerance to nonvolatile side-products from dilute acid treatment of sugarcane bagasse. Biotechnol Bioeng 2019; 117:85-95. [PMID: 31612993 DOI: 10.1002/bit.27189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Lignocellulosic biomass provides attractive nonfood carbohydrates for the production of ethanol, and dilute acid pretreatment is a biomass-independent process for access to these carbohydrates. However, this pretreatment also releases volatile and nonvolatile inhibitors of fermenting microorganisms. To identify unique gene products contributing to sensitivity/tolerance to nonvolatile inhibitors, ethanologenic Escherichia coli strain LY180 was adapted for growth in vacuum-treated sugarcane bagasse acid hydrolysate (VBHz) lacking furfural and other volatile inhibitors. A mutant, strain AQ15, obtained after approximately 500 generations of growth in VBHz, grew and fermented the sugars in a medium with 50% VBHz. Comparative genome sequence analysis of strains AQ15 and LY180 revealed 95 mutations in strain AQ15. Six of these mutations were also found in strain SL112, an independent inhibitor-tolerant derivative of strain LY180. Among these six mutations, null mutations in mdh and bacA were identified as contributing factors to VBHz tolerance in strain AQ15, based on the genetic and physiological analysis. The deletion of either gene in strain LY180 increased tolerance to VBHz from approximately 30-50% (vol/vol). Considering the location and physiological role of the two enzymes in the cell, it is likely that the two enzymes contribute to the VBHz sensitivity of ethanologenic E. coli by different mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiqin Shi
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Lorraine P Yomano
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Sean W York
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Huabao Zheng
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.,Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang A & F University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Keelnatham T Shanmugam
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Lonnie O Ingram
- Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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17
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Pérez-Burgos M, García-Romero I, Jung J, Valvano MA, Søgaard-Andersen L. Identification of the lipopolysaccharide O-antigen biosynthesis priming enzyme and the O-antigen ligase in Myxococcus xanthus: critical role of LPS O-antigen in motility and development. Mol Microbiol 2019; 112:1178-1198. [PMID: 31332863 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Myxococcus xanthus is a model bacterium to study social behavior. At the cellular level, the different social behaviors of M. xanthus involve extensive cell-cell contacts. Here, we used bioinformatics, genetics, heterologous expression and biochemical experiments to identify and characterize the key enzymes in M. xanthus implicated in O-antigen and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis and examined the role of LPS O-antigen in M. xanthus social behaviors. We identified WbaPMx (MXAN_2922) as the polyisoprenyl-phosphate hexose-1-phosphate transferase responsible for priming O-antigen synthesis. In heterologous expression experiments, WbaPMx complemented a Salmonella enterica mutant lacking the endogenous WbaP that primes O-antigen synthesis, indicating that WbaPMx transfers galactose-1-P to undecaprenyl-phosphate. We also identified WaaLMx (MXAN_2919), as the O-antigen ligase that joins O-antigen to lipid A-core. Our data also support the previous suggestion that WzmMx (MXAN_4622) and WztMx (MXAN_4623) form the Wzm/Wzt ABC transporter. We show that mutations that block different steps in LPS O-antigen synthesis can cause pleiotropic phenotypes. Also, using a wbaPMx deletion mutant, we revisited the role of LPS O-antigen and demonstrate that it is important for gliding motility, conditionally important for type IV pili-dependent motility and required to complete the developmental program leading to the formation of spore-filled fruiting bodies.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Pérez-Burgos
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Inmaculada García-Romero
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Jana Jung
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Miguel A Valvano
- Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Lotte Søgaard-Andersen
- Department of Ecophysiology, Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 10, 35043, Marburg, Germany
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18
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Minimal exposure of lipid II cycle intermediates triggers cell wall antibiotic resistance. Nat Commun 2019; 10:2733. [PMID: 31227716 PMCID: PMC6588590 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-10673-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell wall antibiotics are crucial for combatting the emerging wave of resistant bacteria. Yet, our understanding of antibiotic action is limited, as many strains devoid of all resistance determinants display far higher antibiotic tolerance in vivo than suggested by the antibiotic-target binding affinity in vitro. To resolve this conflict, here we develop a comprehensive theory for the bacterial cell wall biosynthetic pathway and study its perturbation by antibiotics. We find that the closed-loop architecture of the lipid II cycle of wall biosynthesis features a highly asymmetric distribution of pathway intermediates, and show that antibiotic tolerance scales inversely with the abundance of the targeted pathway intermediate. We formalize this principle of minimal target exposure as intrinsic resistance mechanism and predict how cooperative drug-target interactions can mitigate resistance. The theory accurately predicts the in vivo efficacy for various cell wall antibiotics in different Gram-positive bacteria and contributes to a systems-level understanding of antibiotic action.
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19
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Abstract
The peptidoglycan sacculus is a net-like polymer that surrounds the cytoplasmic membrane in most bacteria. It is essential to maintain the bacterial cell shape and protect from turgor. The peptidoglycan has a basic composition, common to all bacteria, with species-specific variations that can modify its biophysical properties or the pathogenicity of the bacteria. The synthesis of peptidoglycan starts in the cytoplasm and the precursor lipid II is flipped across the cytoplasmic membrane. The new peptidoglycan strands are synthesised and incorporated into the pre-existing sacculus by the coordinated activities of peptidoglycan synthases and hydrolases. In the model organism Escherichia coli there are two complexes required for the elongation and division. Each of them is regulated by different proteins from both the cytoplasmic and periplasmic sides that ensure the well-coordinated synthesis of new peptidoglycan.
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20
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Boland C, Olatunji S, Bailey J, Howe N, Weichert D, Fetics SK, Yu X, Merino-Gracia J, Delsaut C, Caffrey M. Membrane (and Soluble) Protein Stability and Binding Measurements in the Lipid Cubic Phase Using Label-Free Differential Scanning Fluorimetry. Anal Chem 2018; 90:12152-12160. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.8b03176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Coilín Boland
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
| | - Samir Olatunji
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
| | - Jonathan Bailey
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
| | - Nicole Howe
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
| | - Dietmar Weichert
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
| | - Susan Kathleen Fetics
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
| | - Xiaoxiao Yu
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
| | - Javier Merino-Gracia
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
| | - Clement Delsaut
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
| | - Martin Caffrey
- School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin DO2 R590, Ireland
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21
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Huang CY, Olieric V, Howe N, Warshamanage R, Weinert T, Panepucci E, Vogeley L, Basu S, Diederichs K, Caffrey M, Wang M. In situ serial crystallography for rapid de novo membrane protein structure determination. Commun Biol 2018; 1:124. [PMID: 30272004 PMCID: PMC6123769 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0123-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
De novo membrane protein structure determination is often limited by the availability of large crystals and the difficulties in obtaining accurate diffraction data for experimental phasing. Here we present a method that combines in situ serial crystallography with de novo phasing for fast, efficient membrane protein structure determination. The method enables systematic diffraction screening and rapid data collection from hundreds of microcrystals in in meso crystallization wells without the need for direct crystal harvesting. The requisite data quality for experimental phasing is achieved by accumulating diffraction signals from isomorphous crystals identified post-data collection. The method works in all experimental phasing scenarios and is particularly attractive with fragile, weakly diffracting microcrystals. The automated serial data collection approach can be readily adopted at most microfocus macromolecular crystallography beamlines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Ying Huang
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Vincent Olieric
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Howe
- Membrane Structural and Functional Biology (MS&FB) Group, School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, D02 R590, Ireland
| | | | - Tobias Weinert
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Ezequiel Panepucci
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Lutz Vogeley
- Membrane Structural and Functional Biology (MS&FB) Group, School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, D02 R590, Ireland
| | - Shibom Basu
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232, Villigen, Switzerland
| | - Kay Diederichs
- Fachbereich Biologie, Universität Konstanz, M647, D-78457, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Martin Caffrey
- Membrane Structural and Functional Biology (MS&FB) Group, School of Medicine and School of Biochemistry and Immunology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, D02 R590, Ireland.
| | - Meitian Wang
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, CH-5232, Villigen, Switzerland.
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22
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Kawakami N, Fujisaki S. Undecaprenyl phosphate metabolism in Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2018; 82:940-946. [DOI: 10.1080/09168451.2017.1401915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Undecaprenyl phosphate (UP) is essential for the biosynthesis of bacterial extracellular polysaccharides. UP is produced by the dephosphorylation of undecaprenyl diphosphate (UPP) via de novo synthetic and recycling pathways. Gram-positive bacteria contain remarkable amounts of undecaprenol (UOH), which is phosphorylated to UP, although UOH has not been found in Gram-negative bacteria. Here, current knowledge about UPP phosphatase and UOH kinase is reviewed. Dephosphorylation of UPP is catalyzed by a BacA homologue and a type-2 phosphatidic acid phosphatase (PAP2) homologue. The presence of one of these UPP phosphatases is essential for bacterial growth. The catalytic center of both types of enzyme is located outside the cytoplasmic membrane. In Gram-positive bacteria, an enzyme homologous to DgkA, which is the diacylglycerol kinase of Escherichia coli, catalyzes UOH phosphorylation. The possible role of UOH and the significance of systematic construction of Staphylococcus aureus mutants to determine UP metabolism are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Kawakami
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biomolecular Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan
| | - Shingo Fujisaki
- Faculty of Science, Department of Biomolecular Science, Toho University, Funabashi, Japan
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23
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Hernández-Rocamora VM, Otten CF, Radkov A, Simorre JP, Breukink E, VanNieuwenhze M, Vollmer W. Coupling of polymerase and carrier lipid phosphatase prevents product inhibition in peptidoglycan synthesis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 2:1-13. [PMID: 30046664 PMCID: PMC6053597 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcsw.2018.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Peptidoglycan (PG) is an essential component of the bacterial cell wall that maintains the shape and integrity of the cell. The PG precursor lipid II is assembled at the inner leaflet of the cytoplasmic membrane, translocated to the periplasmic side, and polymerized to glycan chains by membrane anchored PG synthases, such as the class A Penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). Polymerization of PG releases the diphosphate form of the carrier lipid, undecaprenyl pyrophosphate (C55-PP), which is converted to the monophosphate form by membrane-embedded pyrophosphatases, generating C55-P for a new round of PG precursor synthesis. Here we report that deletion of the C55-PP pyrophosphatase gene pgpB in E. coli increases the susceptibility to cefsulodin, a β-lactam specific for PBP1A, indicating that the cellular function of PBP1B is impaired in the absence of PgpB. Purified PBP1B interacted with PgpB and another C55-PP pyrophosphatase, BacA and both, PgpB and BacA stimulated the glycosyltransferase activity of PBP1B. C55-PP was found to be a potent inhibitor of PBP1B. Our data suggest that the stimulation of PBP1B by PgpB is due to the faster removal and processing of C55-PP, and that PBP1B interacts with C55-PP phosphatases during PG synthesis to couple PG polymerization with the recycling of the carrier lipid and prevent product inhibition by C55-PP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor M Hernández-Rocamora
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK
| | - Christian F Otten
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK
| | - Atanas Radkov
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Simorre
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Eefjan Breukink
- Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, University of Utrecht, Padualaan 8, 3584 Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michael VanNieuwenhze
- Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, 800 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405-7102, USA
| | - Waldemar Vollmer
- Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, Newcastle University, Richardson Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AX, UK
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24
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Kesherwani M, Velmurugan D. Molecular insights into substrate binding mechanism of undecaprenyl pyrophosphate with membrane integrated phosphatidyl glycerophosphate phosphatase B (PgpB) using molecular dynamics simulation approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2018. [PMID: 29528805 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2018.1449666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Undecaprenyl phosphate (C55-P) acts as carrier lipid in the synthesis of peptidoglycan, which is de novo synthesized from dephosphorylation of undecaprenyl pyrophosphate (C55-PP). The phosphatidylglycerol phosphate phosphatase B (PgpB) catalyzes the dephosphorylation of C55-PP and forms C55-P. As no structural study has been made regarding the binding of C55-PP to PgpB, in the current study, in silico molecular docking, followed by 150 ns molecular dynamics simulation of the putative binding complex in membrane/solvent environment has been performed to understand conformational dynamics. Results are compared with simulated apo form and PE inhibitor-bound form. Analysis of correlated residual fluctuation network in apo form, C55-PP bound and PE inhibitor-bound form suggests that difference in dynamic coupling between TM domain and α2 and α3 helix of periplasmic domain provides ligand binding to facilitate catalysis or to show inhibitory activity. Distance distribution in catalytic residual pair, H207-R104; H207-R201 and H207-D211 which stabilizes phosphate-enzyme intermediate shows a narrow peak in 2.4-3.6 Å in substrate-bound compared to apo form. Binding interactions and binding free energy analyses complement the partial inhibition of PE where PE has less binding free energy compared to the C55-PP substrate as well as the difference in binding interaction with catalytic pocket. Thus, the present study provides how substrate binding couples the movement in TM domain and periplasmic domain which might help in the understanding of active site communication in PgpB. C55-PP phosphatase interactions with a catalytic pocket of PgpB provide new insight for designing drugs against bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manish Kesherwani
- a Centre for Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics , University of Madras, Guindy Campus , Chennai , India
| | - Devadasan Velmurugan
- a Centre for Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics , University of Madras, Guindy Campus , Chennai , India
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25
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Crystal structure of an intramembranal phosphatase central to bacterial cell-wall peptidoglycan biosynthesis and lipid recycling. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1159. [PMID: 29559664 PMCID: PMC5861054 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03547-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Undecaprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatase (UppP) is an integral membrane protein that recycles the lipid carrier essential to the ongoing biosynthesis of the bacterial cell wall. Individual building blocks of peptidoglycan are assembled in the cytoplasm on undecaprenyl phosphate (C55-P) before being flipped to the periplasmic face, where they are polymerized and transferred to the existing cell wall sacculus, resulting in the side product undecaprenyl pyrophosphate (C55-PP). Interruption of UppP’s regeneration of C55-P from C55-PP leads to the buildup of cell wall intermediates and cell lysis. We present the crystal structure of UppP from Escherichia coli at 2.0 Å resolution, which reveals the mechanistic basis for intramembranal phosphatase action and substrate specificity using an inverted topology repeat. In addition, the observation of key structural motifs common to a variety of cross membrane transporters hints at a potential flippase function in the specific relocalization of the C55-P product back to the cytosolic space. Undecaprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatase (UppP) recycles the lipid carrier essential for bacterial cell wall synthesis. Here authors present the crystal structure of UppP from E. coli at 2.0 Å resolution, which sheds light on its phosphatase mechanism and indicates a potential flippase role for UppP.
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26
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Abstract
As a protective envelope surrounding the bacterial cell, the peptidoglycan sacculus is a site of vulnerability and an antibiotic target. Peptidoglycan components, assembled in the cytoplasm, are shuttled across the membrane in a cycle that uses undecaprenyl-phosphate. A product of peptidoglycan synthesis, undecaprenyl-pyrophosphate, is converted to undecaprenyl-phosphate for reuse in the cycle by the membrane integral pyrophosphatase, BacA. To understand how BacA functions, we determine its crystal structure at 2.6 Å resolution. The enzyme is open to the periplasm and to the periplasmic leaflet via a pocket that extends into the membrane. Conserved residues map to the pocket where pyrophosphorolysis occurs. BacA incorporates an interdigitated inverted topology repeat, a topology type thus far only reported in transporters and channels. This unique topology raises issues regarding the ancestry of BacA, the possibility that BacA has alternate active sites on either side of the membrane and its possible function as a flippase. Bacterial cell wall components are assembled in a transmembrane cycle that involves the membrane integral pyrophosphorylase, BacA. Here the authors solve the crystal structure of BacA which shows an interdigitated inverted topology repeat that hints towards a flippase function for BacA.
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Chang HY, Chou CC, Wu ML, Wang AH. Expression, purification and enzymatic characterization of undecaprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatase from Vibrio vulnificus. Protein Expr Purif 2017; 133:121-131. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2017.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2016] [Revised: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Lombard J. Early evolution of polyisoprenol biosynthesis and the origin of cell walls. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2626. [PMID: 27812422 PMCID: PMC5088576 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/27/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
After being a matter of hot debate for years, the presence of lipid membranes in the last common ancestor of extant organisms (i.e., the cenancestor) now begins to be generally accepted. By contrast, cenancestral cell walls have attracted less attention, probably owing to the large diversity of cell walls that exist in the three domains of life. Many prokaryotic cell walls, however, are synthesized using glycosylation pathways with similar polyisoprenol lipid carriers and topology (i.e., orientation across the cell membranes). Here, we provide the first systematic phylogenomic report on the polyisoprenol biosynthesis pathways in the three domains of life. This study shows that, whereas the last steps of the polyisoprenol biosynthesis are unique to the respective domain of life of which they are characteristic, the enzymes required for basic unsaturated polyisoprenol synthesis can be traced back to the respective last common ancestor of each of the three domains of life. As a result, regardless of the topology of the tree of life that may be considered, the most parsimonious hypothesis is that these enzymes were inherited in modern lineages from the cenancestor. This observation supports the presence of an enzymatic mechanism to synthesize unsaturated polyisoprenols in the cenancestor and, since these molecules are notorious lipid carriers in glycosylation pathways involved in the synthesis of a wide diversity of prokaryotic cell walls, it provides the first indirect evidence of the existence of a hypothetical unknown cell wall synthesis mechanism in the cenancestor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Lombard
- Biosciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom; National Evolutionary Synthesis Center, Durham, NC, United States of America
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Depletion of Undecaprenyl Pyrophosphate Phosphatases Disrupts Cell Envelope Biogenesis in Bacillus subtilis. J Bacteriol 2016; 198:2925-2935. [PMID: 27528508 DOI: 10.1128/jb.00507-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The integrity of the bacterial cell envelope is essential to sustain life by countering the high turgor pressure of the cell and providing a barrier against chemical insults. In Bacillus subtilis, synthesis of both peptidoglycan and wall teichoic acids requires a common C55 lipid carrier, undecaprenyl-pyrophosphate (UPP), to ferry precursors across the cytoplasmic membrane. The synthesis and recycling of UPP requires a phosphatase to generate the monophosphate form Und-P, which is the substrate for peptidoglycan and wall teichoic acid synthases. Using an optimized clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) system with catalytically inactive ("dead") CRISPR-associated protein 9 (dCas9)-based transcriptional repression system (CRISPR interference [CRISPRi]), we demonstrate that B. subtilis requires either of two UPP phosphatases, UppP or BcrC, for viability. We show that a third predicted lipid phosphatase (YodM), with homology to diacylglycerol pyrophosphatases, can also support growth when overexpressed. Depletion of UPP phosphatase activity leads to morphological defects consistent with a failure of cell envelope synthesis and strongly activates the σM-dependent cell envelope stress response, including bcrC, which encodes one of the two UPP phosphatases. These results highlight the utility of an optimized CRISPRi system for the investigation of synthetic lethal gene pairs, clarify the nature of the B. subtilis UPP-Pase enzymes, and provide further evidence linking the σM regulon to cell envelope homeostasis pathways. IMPORTANCE The emergence of antibiotic resistance among bacterial pathogens is of critical concern and motivates efforts to develop new therapeutics and increase the utility of those already in use. The lipid II cycle is one of the most frequently targeted processes for antibiotics and has been intensively studied. Despite these efforts, some steps have remained poorly defined, partly due to genetic redundancy. CRISPRi provides a powerful tool to investigate the functions of essential genes and sets of genes. Here, we used an optimized CRISPRi system to demonstrate functional redundancy of two UPP phosphatases that are required for the conversion of the initially synthesized UPP lipid carrier to Und-P, the substrate for the synthesis of the initial lipid-linked precursors in peptidoglycan and wall teichoic acid synthesis.
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