Structural and functional diversity in Listeria cell wall teichoic acids.
Yang Shen1, Samy Boulos2, Eric Sumrall3
1From the Laboratory of Food Microbiology, Institute of Food, Nutrition and Health, ETH Zurich, Schmelzbergstrasse 7, CH-8092 Zurich, yang.shen@hest.ethz.ch.
The Journal of Biological Chemistry
|September 16, 2017
Summary
This study reveals over 10 types of wall teichoic acids (WTAs) in Listeria, highlighting their complex structures and variable linkages. WTA structure impacts bacteriophage endolysin recognition, crucial for understanding bacterial cell walls.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Glycobiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Wall teichoic acids (WTAs) are abundant glycopolymers on Gram-positive bacterial cell walls.
- Their complex structures are crucial for biological processes but challenging to elucidate.
- Understanding WTA structure is key to bacterial cell wall research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the structural complexity of WTAs in Listeria species.
- To identify variations in WTA linkages and repeating units.
- To investigate the relationship between WTA structure and bacteriophage endolysin recognition.
Main Methods:
- Utilized ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem-MS/MS.
- Employed Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
- Conducted Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) analysis.
Main Results:
- Unveiled over 10 distinct WTA polymer types in Listeria.
- Identified structural diversity due to GlcNAc connectivity, O-acetylation, and glycosylation.
- Demonstrated that WTA composition dictates recognition by bacteriophage endolysins.
Conclusions:
- Provided detailed insights into Listeria cell wall-associated carbohydrates.
- Highlighted the significant structural diversity of WTAs.
- Established a link between WTA structure and bacteriophage endolysin binding, informing future research.
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