A periplasmic protein modulates the proteolysis of peptidoglycan hydrolases to maintain cell wall homeostasis in <i>Escherichia coli</i>
Abstract
Bacterial cell wall assembly and remodeling require activities of peptidoglycan (PG) hydrolases as well as PG synthases. In particular, the activity of DD-endopeptidases, which cleave the 4-3 peptide crosslinks in PG, is essential for PG expansion in gram-negative bacteria. Maintaining optimal levels of DD-endopeptidases is critical for expanding PG without compromising its integrity. In Escherichia coli , the levels of major DD-endopeptidases, MepS and MepH, along with the lytic transglycosylase MltD, are controlled by the periplasmic protease Prc and its outer membrane adaptor NlpI. However, the mechanisms regulating the turnover of these PG hydrolases have remained unclear. In this study, we identified a periplasmic protein, BipP (formerly YhjJ), that negatively controls the NlpI-Prc system. Further analyses indicate that BipP exerts this control by interacting with NlpI and inhibiting its substrate recognition in response to low DD-endopeptidase activity, providing insight into the homeostatic control of PG hydrolysis and cell wall expansion.
Article Details
Journal Info
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
National Academy of Sciences
Authors (14)
Sohee Park
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University
Wook-Jong Jeon
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University
Yeseul Lee
Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea
Chae Lim Lim
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University
Eunyeong Lee
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University
Han Byeol Oh
Division of Biomedical Convergence, College of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University
Gyu Sung Lee
Department of Biopharmaceutical Convergence
Oh Hyun Kwon
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University
Bumhan Ryu
Research Solution Center, Institute for Basic Science
Yong-Joon Cho
Department of Molecular Bioscience, Kangwon National University
Chung Sub Kim
Department of Biopharmaceutical Convergence
Sung-il Yoon
Division of Biomedical Convergence, College of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University
Jeong Min Chung
Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea
Hongbaek Cho
Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Sungkyunkwan University