Coordination of capsule assembly and cell wall biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus

• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09356-x
• Publication Date: 2019-03-29T11:03:19Z
• Authors: Marvin Rausch; Julia P. Deisinger; Hannah Ulm; Anna Müller; Wenjin Li; Patrick Hardt; Xiaogang Wang; Xue Li; Marc Sylvester; Marianne Engeser; Waldemar Vollmer; Christa E. Müller; Hans Georg Sahl; Jean Claire Lee; Tanja Schneider
• Keywords: Teichoic acid; Lipid II

Abstract The Gram-positive cell wall consists of peptidoglycan functionalized with anionic glycopolymers, such as teichoic acid and capsular polysaccharide (CP). How the different polymers are assembled in a coordinated fashion is not fully understood. Here, we reconstitute Staphylococcus aureus CP biosynthesis elucidate its interplay biosynthetic machinery. We show that CapAB tyrosine kinase complex controls multiple enzymatic checkpoints through reversible phosphorylation to modulate consumption essential precursors also used biosynthesis. In addition, CapA1 activator protein interacts cleaves lipid-linked precursors, releasing lipid carrier undecaprenyl-phosphate. further provide biochemical evidence subsequent attachment achieved by LcpC, member LytR-CpsA-Psr family, using precursor native II acceptor substrate. Ser/Thr PknB, which can sense cellular levels, negatively synthesis. Our work sheds light on integration into multi-component wall.