title: A widespread family of bacterial cell wall assembly proteins.
abstract: Teichoic acids and acidic capsular polysaccharides are major anionic cell wall polymers (APs) in many bacteria, with various critical cell functions, including maintenance of cell shape and structural integrity, charge and cation homeostasis, and multiple aspects of pathogenesis. We have identified the widespread LytR-Cps2A-Psr (LCP) protein family, of previously unknown function, as novel enzymes required for AP synthesis. Structural and biochemical analysis of several LCP proteins suggest that they carry out the final step of transferring APs from their lipid-linked precursor to cell wall peptidoglycan (PG). In Bacillus subtilis, LCP proteins are found in association with the MreB cytoskeleton, suggesting that MreB proteins coordinate the insertion of the major polymers, PG and AP, into the cell wall.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Medical School, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
authors.forename: Yoshikazu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Jon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marles-Wright
authors.forename: Robert M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cleverley
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Emmins
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuwano
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Heinz
authors.forename: Nhat Khai
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Bui
authors.forename: Christopher N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Hoyland
authors.forename: Naotake
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ogasawara
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vollmer
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Daniel
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Errington
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005804:Genes, Lethal; D009154:Mutation; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D011134:Polysaccharides; D013682:Teichoic Acids