title: The localization of key Bacillus subtilis penicillin binding proteins during cell growth is determined by substrate availability.
abstract: The shape of bacteria is maintained by the cell wall. The main component of the cell wall is peptidoglycan (PG) that is synthesized by penicillin binding proteins (PBPs). The correct positioning of PBPs is essential for the maintenance of cell shape. In the literature, two different models for localization of PBPs have been proposed - localization through interaction with a cytoskeletal structure or localization through the presence of substrate. Here, we show that the localization of PBPs critical for the rod shape of Bacillus subtilis is altered when the substrate LipidII is delocalized by treatment of the cells with nisin. Alteration of this localization is only seen in a LipidII-dependent manner and is not influenced by dissipation of the membrane potential, a secondary effect of nisin treatment. Our results strongly suggest that the localization of PG synthesis at the periphery of the cell is substrate-driven, even in bacteria that contain actin-like MreB cytoskeletal structures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Microbiology, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Centre for Synthetic Biology, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Marta Carolina Afonso
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Lages
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beilharz
authors.forename: Danae
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morales Angeles
authors.forename: Jan-Willem
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Veening
authors.forename: Dirk-Jan
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Scheffers
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009561:Nisin / Q000494:pharmacology; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000378:metabolism; D014538:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylmuramic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D014538:Uridine Diphosphate N-Acetylmuramic Acid; C069249:muramyl-NAc-(pentapeptide)pyrophosphoryl-undecaprenol; D009561:Nisin