The Biosynthesis of Bacterial Wall Teichoic Acids

Peptidoglycan synthesis by partly autolyzed cells of Bacillus subtilis W23

“…The wall teichoic acid is covalently attached to peptidoglycan by a linkage unit consisting of tri(glycerol phosphate)-N-acetyglucosamine (GlcNAc) 1-phosphate (18), which is assembled on a polyprenyl phosphate (40). Poly(ribitol phosphate) is formed from CDP-ribitol and is assembled either on a lipoteichoic acid carrier or directly on the linkage unit (27,56), and the enzymes involved in polymer and linkage unit syntheses form a complex in the membrane (37). Whereas subsequent reactions have been poorly characterized thus far, it is known that, in vivo, teichoic acid and peptidoglycan are concomitantly synthesized and joined together (39), presumably at the outer surface of the membrane.…”