Negative regulation of MurZ and MurA underlies the essentiality of GpsB‐ and StkP‐mediated protein phosphorylation in Streptococcus pneumoniaeD39

• DOI: 10.1111/mmi.15122
• Publication Date: 2023-07-15T02:52:55Z
• Authors: Ho‐Ching Tiffany ...; Merrin Joseph; Jiaqi J. Zheng; Amilcar J. Perez; Irfan Manzoor; Britta E. Rued; John D. Richardson; Pavel Branny; Linda Doubravová; Orietta Massidda; Malcolm E. Winkler
• Keywords: Streptococcus pneumoniae; Bacterial Proteins; Mutation; gene duplication and amplification, GpsB peptidoglycan regulator, KhpA/B RNA binding protein, peptidoglycan precursor synthesis, StkP protein kinase; Phosphorylation; Cell Division; 3. Good health

GpsB links peptidoglycan synthases to other proteins that determine the shape of respiratory pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus; Spn) and low-GC Gram-positive bacteria. is also required for phosphorylation by essential StkP(Spn) Ser/Thr protein kinase. Here we report three classes frequently arising chromosomal duplications (≈21-176 genes) containing murZ (MurZ-family homolog MurA) or murA suppress ΔgpsB ΔstkP. These arose from different repeated sequences demonstrate facility pneumococcus modulate gene dosage numerous genes. Overproduction MurZ MurA alone overproduction caused ΔkhpAB mutations suppressed ΔstkP phenotypes varying extents. were amino-acid changes distant active site, including one in commonly studied laboratory strains, truncation deletion IreB(ReoM). Unlike bacteria, predominant pneumococcal cells. However, not ΔclpCP, which did alter amounts. results support a model regulation activity, likely IreB(Spn), only requirement StkP-mediated exponentially growing D39