TY - JOUR
T1 - Plasticity of Escherichia coli cell wall metabolism promotes fitness and antibiotic resistance across environmental conditions
AU - Mueller, Elizabeth A.
AU - Egan, Alexander J.F.
AU - Breukink, Eefjan
AU - Vollmer, Waldemar
AU - Levin, Petra Anne
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Mueller et al.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Although the peptidoglycan cell wall is an essential structural and morphological feature of most bacterial cells, the extracytoplasmic enzymes involved in its synthesis are frequently dispensable under standard culture conditions. By modulating a single growth parameter—extracellular pH—we discovered a subset of these so-called ‘redundant’ enzymes in Escherichia coli are required for maximal fitness across pH environments. Among these pH specialists are the class A penicillin binding proteins PBP1a and PBP1b; defects in these enzymes attenuate growth in alkaline and acidic conditions, respectively. Genetic, biochemical, and cytological studies demonstrate that synthase activity is required for cell wall integrity across a wide pH range and influences pH-dependent changes in resistance to cell wall active antibiotics. Altogether, our findings reveal previously thought to be redundant enzymes are instead specialized for distinct environmental niches. This specialization may ensure robust growth and cell wall integrity in a wide range of conditions.
AB - Although the peptidoglycan cell wall is an essential structural and morphological feature of most bacterial cells, the extracytoplasmic enzymes involved in its synthesis are frequently dispensable under standard culture conditions. By modulating a single growth parameter—extracellular pH—we discovered a subset of these so-called ‘redundant’ enzymes in Escherichia coli are required for maximal fitness across pH environments. Among these pH specialists are the class A penicillin binding proteins PBP1a and PBP1b; defects in these enzymes attenuate growth in alkaline and acidic conditions, respectively. Genetic, biochemical, and cytological studies demonstrate that synthase activity is required for cell wall integrity across a wide pH range and influences pH-dependent changes in resistance to cell wall active antibiotics. Altogether, our findings reveal previously thought to be redundant enzymes are instead specialized for distinct environmental niches. This specialization may ensure robust growth and cell wall integrity in a wide range of conditions.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85064531688&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7554/eLife.40754
DO - 10.7554/eLife.40754
M3 - Article
C2 - 30963998
AN - SCOPUS:85064531688
SN - 2050-084X
VL - 8
JO - eLife
JF - eLife
M1 - e40754
ER -