title: Robust peptidoglycan growth by dynamic and variable multi-protein complexes.
abstract: In Gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli the peptidoglycan sacculus resides in the periplasm, a compartment that experiences changes in pH value, osmolality, ion strength and other parameters depending on the cell's environment. Hence, the cell needs robust peptidoglycan growth mechanisms to grow and divide under different conditions. Here we propose a model according to which the cell achieves robust peptidoglycan growth by employing dynamic multi-protein complexes, which assemble with variable composition from freely diffusing sets of peptidoglycan synthases, hydrolases and their regulators, whereby the composition of the active complexes depends on the cell cycle state - cell elongation or division - and the periplasmic growth conditions.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pazos
authors.affiliation: Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Centre for Bacterial Cell Biology, Institute for Cell and Molecular Biosciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH, United Kingdom. Electronic address: w.vollmer@ncl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Waldemar
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Vollmer
mesh_terms: D002455:Cell Division; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019897:Periplasm / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D006867:Hydrolases