Characterization of solubilized products from the cell wall of Streptococcus pneumoniae during autoplast formation

The structure of the cell wall of Streptococcus pneumoniae R36a was investigated by means of chemical analysis of the solubilized products formed during autoplast formation. By autoplast formation, almost all of the cell wall components were solubilized as the end products within several hours. Analysis of the solubilized products revealed that the pneumococcal cell wall consists of three macromolecular components, teichoic acid-glycopeptide I (TA-GP I), teichoic acid-glycopeptide II (TA-GP II), and glycopeptide (GP-III). The molecular size of TA-GP I was larger than that of TA-GP II. TA-GP I and TA-GP II were constituted of similar components, galactosamine, 2-acetamido-4-amino-2, 4, 6-trideoxyhexose, glucose, ribitol, choline, phosphate, and peptidoglycan components, but the ratio of teichoic acid to glycopeptide in TA-GP II was higher than that in TA-GP I. TA-GP II was solubilized more slowly than TA-GP I and GP III during autoplast formation. The assembly of the cell wall by TA-GP I and II, and GP III is discussed in connection with the action of autolysin.