Class-A penicillin binding proteins do not contribute to cell shape but repair cell-wall defects [Elektronisk resurs]

• Cell shape and cell-envelope integrity of bacteria are determined by the peptidoglycan cell wall. In rod-shaped Escherichia coli, two conserved sets of machinery are essential for cell-wall insertion in the cylindrical part of the cell: the Rod complex and the class-A penicillin-binding proteins (aPBPs). While the Rod complex governs rod-like cell shape, aPBP function is less well understood. aPBPs were previously hypothesized to either work in concert with the Rod complex or to independently repair cell-wall defects. First, we demonstrate through modulation of enzyme levels that aPBPs do not contribute to rod-like cell shape but are required for mechanical stability, supporting their independent activity. By combining measurements of cell-wall stiffness, cell-wall insertion, and PBP1b motion at the single-molecule level, we then present evidence that PBP1b, the major aPBP, contributes to cell-wall integrity by repairing cell wall defects. 

Ämnesord

Medical and Health Sciences  (hsv)

Medical Biotechnology  (hsv)

Medical Biotechnology (with a focus on Cell Biology (including Stem Cell Biology), Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry or Biopharmacy)  (hsv)

Medicin och hälsovetenskap  (hsv)

Medicinsk bioteknologi  (hsv)

Medicinsk bioteknologi (med inriktning mot cellbiologi (inklusive stamcellsbiologi), molekylärbiologi, mikrobiologi, biokemi eller biofarmaci)  (hsv)

Genre

government publication  (marcgt)

Indexterm och SAB-rubrik

CRISPRi

E. coli

cell biology

cell envelope

cell-wall repair

infectious disease

microbiology

penicillin-binding proteins

peptidoglycan cell wall

single-molecule tracking