Control of Teichoic Acid Synthesis in Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945

Abstract

Analysis of cell walls of Bacillus lichenrformis ATCC 9945 grown under phosphate limitation showed that teichoic acid could be replaced by teichuronic acid under these conditions. Teichuronic acid, however, was always present in the walls to some extent irrespective of the growth conditions. The enzymes involved in teichoic acid synthesis were investigated and the synthesis of these was shown to be repressed when the intracellular Pi level fell. CDP-glycerol pyrophosphorylase was studied in some detail and evidence is presented to show that the enzyme is inactivated under phosphate-limited conditions. The mechanism of inactivation is unknown but it has been shown that it does not require protein synthesis de now.

Control of teichuronic acid synthesis in Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945

“…During the change from glucose to phosphate limitation, the earliest discernable biochemical change consistently occurred between 2-3 h, when the level of teichuronic acid synthetase fell to <50% of its initial steady state value ( fig.1). The converse effect on teichoic acid biosynthesis has been reported in [3]. At this stage in the chemostat, the culture has been 32 released from glucose limitation by the incoming phosphate-poor medium, but has not yet become phosphate limited because of residual phosphate from the initial medium remaining in the culture vessel [3].…”

“…These involve the loss of teichoic acid and an increase in teichuronic acid [3]. The biosynthesis of teichuronic acid, a polymer of N-acetylglucosamine and glucuronic acid [ 141, requires UDP-IV-acetylglucosamine 4-epimerase and UDP-glucose dehydrogenase as well as the polymerising activity of teichuronic acid synthetase.…”

“…Procedures for the growth of Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945 in batch and continuous cultures have been described [3].…”

“…A chemostat investigation of the teichoic acid-synthesising enzymes in Bacillus licheniformis presented evidence for the rapid inactivation of CDP glycerol pyrophosphorylase during changeover from non-phosphate to phosphate limited growth [3]. The mechanism of inactivation was not investigated, but was shown to be independent of new protein synthesis.…”

Control of Synthesis of Wall Teichoic Acid in Phosphate-Starved Cultures of Bacillus subtilis W23

“…Continuous cultures were grown in an LH Engineering fermenter (type LHE l/lOOO) as described earlier [5] except that the volume of culture routinely employed was 2 1. The phosphate-limited and potassium-limited media were as described by Archibald and Coapes [6].…”