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Bacterial size matters: Multiple mechanisms controlling septum cleavage and diplococcus formation are critical for

Bartłomiej Salamaga1,2, Tomasz K Prajsnar1,3,4, Ana Jareño-Martinez1,2

  • 1Krebs Institute, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.

Plos Pathogens
|July 26, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Enterococcus faecalis cell separation is crucial for its virulence. Disrupting this process, by inhibiting septum cleavage, makes the opportunistic pathogen less harmful and offers a potential therapeutic strategy.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Pathogenesis
  • Bacterial Cell Division

Background:

  • Enterococcus faecalis is a significant opportunistic pathogen in clinical settings.
  • It exhibits intrinsic antibiotic resistance and can transfer resistance genes.
  • Mechanisms of E. faecalis virulence, particularly concerning cell division, are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the regulation of daughter cell separation in E. faecalis.
  • To determine the impact of cell separation on bacterial pathogenesis.
  • To explore novel therapeutic strategies targeting E. faecalis virulence.

Main Methods:

  • Studied the regulation of AtlA peptidoglycan hydrolase activity.
  • Investigated the role of glycosylation and substrate recognition in enzyme activity.
  • Utilized a zebrafish model of infection to assess bacterial virulence.
  • Analyzed the susceptibility of mutant strains to phagocytosis.

Main Results:

  • AtlA enzyme activity, essential for septum cleavage, is regulated by glycosylation and peptidoglycan recognition.
  • Mutants exhibiting defective cell separation formed long chains.
  • These long-chain mutants showed increased susceptibility to phagocytosis.
  • The long-chain mutants were avirulent in the zebrafish infection model.

Conclusions:

  • Control of cell separation during bacterial division is a key factor in E. faecalis pathogenesis.
  • Defective septum cleavage impairs virulence, suggesting it's a novel enterococcal virulence factor.
  • Inhibiting septum cleavage presents a promising therapeutic approach to combat E. faecalis infections.

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