title: Peptidoglycan biosynthesis in stationary-phase cells of Escherichia coli.
abstract: The ability of stationary-phase cells of Escherichia coli W7 to incorporate radioactive precursors into macromolecular murein has been studied. During the initial 6 h of the stationary phase, resting cells incorporated meso-[3H]diaminopimelic acid at a rate corresponding to the insertion of 1.3 X 10(4) disaccharide units min-1 cell-1. Afterwards, the rate of incorporation dropped drastically (90%) to a low but still detectable level. Incorporation during stationary phase did not result in an increased amount of total murein in the culture, suggesting that it was related to a turnover process. Analysis of the effects of a number of beta-lactam antibiotics indicated that incorporation of murein precursors in stationary-phase cells was mediated by penicillin-binding proteins, suggesting that the activity of penicillin-binding protein 2 was particularly relevant to this process.
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003960:Diaminopimelic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D007769:Lactams; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014316:Tritium; D001616:beta-Galactosidase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007769:Lactams; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D014316:Tritium; D003960:Diaminopimelic Acid; D001616:beta-Galactosidase