Shared Lipid Phosphate Carrier in the Biosynthesis of Teichoic Acid and Peptidoglycan

Watkinson, R. J.; Hussey, Helen; Baddiley, J.

doi:10.1038/newbio229057a0

Cited by 61 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The use of undecaprenyl phosphate as the lipid acceptor for polysaccharide synthesis has been confirmed through mass spectral or nuclear magnetic resonance analysis for only a few polymers. These include S. enterica serovar Newington O antigens (60), enterobacterial common antigen (48), and colanic acid (34) in gram-negative bacteria; peptidoglycan in gram-negative (51) and gram-positive bacteria (26,27); and teichoic acid in Bacillus licheniformis (55). Many of the capsules of E. coli are also thought to use undecaprenyl phosphate as an acceptor for repeat unit formation, due to the homology of the initiating glycosyltransferase WbaP with the initiating glycosyltransferase involved in O-antigen synthesis (56).…”

Section: Vol 187 2005mentioning

confidence: 99%

CpsE from Type 2Streptococcus pneumoniaeCatalyzes the Reversible Addition of Glucose-1-Phosphate to a Polyprenyl Phosphate Acceptor, Initiating Type 2 Capsule Repeat Unit Formation

et al. 2005

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The majority of the 90 capsule types made by the gram-positive pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae are assembled by a block-type mechanism similar to that utilized by the Wzy-dependent O antigens and capsules of gram-negative bacteria. In this mechanism, initiation of repeat unit formation occurs by the transfer of a sugar to a lipid acceptor. In S. pneumoniae, this step is catalyzed by CpsE, a protein conserved among the majority of capsule types. Membranes from S. pneumoniae type 2 strain D39 and Escherichia coli containing recombinant Cps2E catalyzed incorporation of [ 14 C]Glc from UDP-[ 14 C]Glc into a lipid fraction in a Cps2E-dependent manner. The Cps2E-dependent glycolipid product from both membranes was sensitive to mild acid hydrolysis, suggesting that Cps2E was catalyzing the formation of a polyprenyl pyrophosphate Glc. Addition of exogenous polyprenyl phosphates ranging in size from 35 to 105 carbons to D39 and E. coli membranes stimulated Cps2E activity. The stimulation was due, in part, to utilization of the exogenous polyprenyl phosphates as an acceptor. The glycolipid product synthesized in the absence of exogenous polyprenyl phosphates comigrated with a 60-carbon polyprenyl pyrophosphate Glc. When 10 or 100 M UMP was added to reaction mixtures containing D39 membranes, Cps2E activity was inhibited 40% and 80%, respectively. UMP, which acted as a competitive inhibitor of UDP-Glc, also stimulated Cps2E to catalyze the reverse reaction, with synthesis of UDP-Glc from the polyprenyl pyrophosphate Glc. These data indicated that Cps2E was catalyzing the addition of Glc-1-P to a polyprenyl phosphate acceptor, likely undecaprenyl phosphate.

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Section: Vol 187 2005mentioning

confidence: 99%

CpsE from Type 2Streptococcus pneumoniaeCatalyzes the Reversible Addition of Glucose-1-Phosphate to a Polyprenyl Phosphate Acceptor, Initiating Type 2 Capsule Repeat Unit Formation

et al. 2005

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“…Evidence for this comes from earlier studies on the chemistry of lipids labelled during teichoic acid biosynthesis [lo,1 l], the interdependence of peptidoglycan and teichoic acid synthesis and their inhibition by bacitracin [ 12,131, and more recently the sensitivity of linkage unit synthesis to the antibiotic tunicamycin [4-71. Tunicamycin inhibits specifically the transfer of N-acetylglucosamine 3 -phosphate from its uridine nucleotide to polyprenyl phosphate [ 141, the initial reaction (a) in the scheme.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biosynthesis of teichoic acid in micrococcus varians ATCC 29750

McArthur¹,

Hancock²,

Roberts³

et al. 1980

FEBS Letters

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“…Undecaprenol phosphate is the carrier lipid on which this linkage intermediate is assembled prior to attachment (69,201,502). This lipid is identical to that involved in peptidoglycan synthesis (490). Chain elongation in WTA assembly occurs by successive addition of monomer from either CDP-glycerol or CDP-ribitol to the terminal alditol-P that is distal to the linkage unit (235,259).…”

Section: Pathways Of Lta and Wta Biosynthesismentioning

confidence: 99%

A Continuum of Anionic Charge: Structures and Functions ofd-Alanyl-Teichoic Acids in Gram-Positive Bacteria

Neuhaus

Baddiley

2003

Microbiol Mol Biol Rev

900

1,097

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SUMMARY Teichoic acids (TAs) are major wall and membrane components of most gram-positive bacteria. With few exceptions, they are polymers of glycerol-phosphate or ribitol-phosphate to which are attached glycosyl and d-alanyl ester residues. Wall TA is attached to peptidoglycan via a linkage unit, whereas lipoteichoic acid is attached to glycolipid intercalated in the membrane. Together with peptidoglycan, these polymers make up a polyanionic matrix that functions in (i) cation homeostasis; (ii) trafficking of ions, nutrients, proteins, and antibiotics; (iii) regulation of autolysins; and (iv) presentation of envelope proteins. The esterification of TAs with d-alanyl esters provides a means of modulating the net anionic charge, determining the cationic binding capacity, and displaying cations in the wall. This review addresses the structures and functions of d-alanyl-TAs, the d-alanylation system encoded by the dlt operon, and the roles of TAs in cell growth. The importance of dlt in the physiology of many organisms is illustrated by the variety of mutant phenotypes. In addition, advances in our understanding of d-alanyl ester function in virulence and host-mediated responses have been made possible through targeted mutagenesis of dlt. Studies of the mechanism of d-alanylation have identified two potential targets of antibacterial action and provided possible screening reactions for designing novel agents targeted to d-alanyl-TA synthesis.

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Shared Lipid Phosphate Carrier in the Biosynthesis of Teichoic Acid and Peptidoglycan

Cited by 61 publications

References 15 publications

CpsE from Type 2Streptococcus pneumoniaeCatalyzes the Reversible Addition of Glucose-1-Phosphate to a Polyprenyl Phosphate Acceptor, Initiating Type 2 Capsule Repeat Unit Formation

CpsE from Type 2Streptococcus pneumoniaeCatalyzes the Reversible Addition of Glucose-1-Phosphate to a Polyprenyl Phosphate Acceptor, Initiating Type 2 Capsule Repeat Unit Formation

Biosynthesis of teichoic acid in micrococcus varians ATCC 29750

A Continuum of Anionic Charge: Structures and Functions ofd-Alanyl-Teichoic Acids in Gram-Positive Bacteria

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