title: The functional dlt operon of Clostridium butyricum controls the D-alanylation of cell wall components and influences cell septation and vancomycin-induced lysis.
abstract: Clostridium butyricum is a Gram-positive bacterium involved in the development of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants. To colonize the digestive tract, components of the cell wall of C. butyricum must interact with the intestinal mucosa. The D-alanylation of cell wall components such as teichoic acids results in a net positive charge on the cell wall, which is important for many functions of Gram-positive bacteria. Notably, D-alanylation mediates resistance to antimicrobial peptides and antibiotics. Here, we show that the dlt operon of C. butyricum encodes the enzymes responsible for the D-alanylation of cell wall components and influences the surface properties of the cell wall. We show that the D-alanylation of cell wall components controls the septation of C. butyricum, which is an essential mechanism during vegetative growth. Furthermore, we find that D-alanylation is involved in the resistance of C. butyricum to some cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) and lysozyme. Finally, we show that the D-alanylation of cell wall components influences vancomycin-induced lysis.
authors.affiliation: EA 4065, CRP2, DHU Risks in Pregnancy, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France. Electronic address: sandra.wydau@parisdescartes.fr.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wydau-Dematteis
authors.affiliation: EA 4065, CRP2, DHU Risks in Pregnancy, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France.
authors.forename: Mathilde
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.affiliation: AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Department of Pharmacology and CIC-1421, F-75013 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Noël
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zahr
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Imaging Platform, CRP2, UMS 3612 CNRS, US25 INSERM, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France.
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lai-Kuen
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Imaging Platform, CRP2, UMS 3612 CNRS, US25 INSERM, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saubaméa
authors.affiliation: EA 4065, CRP2, DHU Risks in Pregnancy, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France.
authors.forename: Marie-José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Butel
authors.affiliation: EA 4065, CRP2, DHU Risks in Pregnancy, Faculté de Pharmacie de Paris, Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris Cité, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Pons
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001433:Bacteriolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002455:Cell Division; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000378:metabolism; D046972:Clostridium butyricum / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D008853:Microscopy; D009876:Operon; D013499:Surface Properties; D013682:Teichoic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013682:Teichoic Acids; D014640:Vancomycin; D000409:Alanine
keywords: Antimicrobial peptides; Cell wall; Clostridium butyricum; Complemented strain; Septation; dltD mutant