Increased carbohydrate substitution of lipoteichoic acid during inhibition of protein synthesis

Abstract

Decreases in electrophoretic mobilities of intracellular lipoteichoic acid, intracellular deacylated lipoteichoic acid, and extracellular deacylated lipoteichoic acid were observed during inhibition of protein synthesis in Streptococcus faecium after exposure to chloramphenicol or valine deprivation. Increased carbohydrate content, and thus an increased mass-to-charge ratio, rather than changes in ester alanine content or novel fatty acid substitutions, appeared to account for the decreased electrophoretic mobilities. The increase in carbohydrate content, as judged from mobility measurements, was progressive over time and appeared to occur on.,biosynthetically new lipoteichoic acid as well as on lipoteichoic acid made before inhibition of protein synthesis.

Interaction of anti-kojibiose antibody with the lipoteichoic acids from Streptococcus faecalis and Streptococcus faecium

“…Structural studies of these LTAs indicate that the C-2 position of glycerol of the poly(glycerol phosphate) chains are substituted by these sugars (23). The degree of substitution varies from strain to strain and appears to be influenced by inhibition of protein synthesis (11,13). As expected, these LTAs readily react with concanavalin A (16).…”