NlpC/P60 domain‐containing proteins of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis that differentially bind and hydrolyze peptidoglycan

A subset of proteins containing NlpC/P60 domains are bacterial peptidoglycan hydrolases that cleave noncanonical peptide linkages and contribute to cell wall remodeling as well as cell separation during late stages of division. Some of these proteins have been shown to cleave peptidoglycan in Mycobacterium tuberculosis and play a role in Mycobacterium marinum virulence of zebra fish; however, there are still significant knowledge gaps concerning the molecular function of these proteins in Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). The MAP genome sequence encodes five NlpC/P60 domain‐containing proteins. We describe atomic resolution crystal structures of two such MAP proteins, MAP_1272c and MAP_1204. These crystal structures, combined with functional assays to measure peptidoglycan cleavage activity, led to the observation that MAP_1272c does not have a functional catalytic core for peptidoglycan hydrolysis. Furthermore, the structure and sequence of MAP_1272c demonstrate that the catalytic residues normally required for hydrolysis are absent, and the protein does not bind peptidoglycan as efficiently as MAP_1204. While the NlpC/P60 catalytic triad is present in MAP_1204, changing the catalytic cysteine‐155 residue to a serine significantly diminished catalytic activity, but did not affect binding to peptidoglycan. Collectively, these findings suggest a broader functional repertoire for NlpC/P60 domain‐containing proteins than simply hydrolases.     

Proteome analysis of a Lactococcus lactis strain overexpressing gapA suggests that the gene product is an auxiliary glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase

The sequence of the genome from the Lactococcus lactis subspecies lactis strain IL1403 shows the presence of two reading frames, gapA and gapB, putatively encoding glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). Previous proteomic analysis of the L. lactis subspecies cremoris strain MG1363 has revealed two neighbouring protein spots, GapBI and GapBII, with amino terminal sequences identical to the product of gapA from the L. lactis subspecies cremoris strain LM0230 and that of the two IL1403 sequences. In order to assign the two protein spots to their respective genes we constructed an L. lactis strain that overexpessed the gapA gene derived from MG1363 upon nisin induction. Compared to the wild-type, the overexpressing strain had a 3.4-fold elevated level of specific GAPDH activity when grown in the presence of nisin. In both MG1363 and the gapA overexpressing strain the GAPDH activity was specific for NAD. No NADP dependent activity was detected. Proteome analysis of the gapA overexpressing strain revealed two new protein spots, GapAI and GapAII, not previously detected in proteome analysis of MG1363. Results from mass spectrometry analysis of GapA and GapB and comparison with the deduced protein sequences for the GAPDH isozymes from the genome sequence of strain IL1403 allowed us to assign GapA and GapB to their apparent IL1403 homologues encoded by gapA and gapB, respectively. Furthermore, we suggest that a homologue of a gapB product, represented by GapB, is the main source of GAPDH activity in L. lactis during normal growth.     

Characterization of proteins belonging to the CHAP-related superfamily within the Firmicutes

Cell division is a dynamic process ending by separation of the daughter cells. This final step requires the cleavage of the murein septum synthetized during cell division. In Streptococcus thermophilus, cse plays an important role in cell separation. Cse protein contains, at its N-terminal end, a signal peptide and a putative LysM motif suggesting that it is secreted and able to bind to the cell wall. Furthermore, the C-terminus of Cse carries a putative cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolases/peptidases (CHAP) domain conferring to the protein a potential catalytic activity. To gain insight into the role of Cse in the cell division process, in silico analysis of the Firmicutes proteins displaying CHAP-related domain was undertaken. This work allowed us to distinguish and characterize within the Firmicutes the 2 families of proteins (CHAP and NlpC/p60) belonging to the CHAP superfamily. These 2 families regroup mainly peptidoglycan hydrolases. Data from the literature indicate that NlpC/p60 and CHAP proteins cleave distinct peptidoglycan bonds. Among the enzymes characterized within the Firmicutes, NlpC/p60 proteins are gamma-D-glutamate-meso-diaminopimelate muropeptidase. Instead, CHAP enzymes involved in cell separation are N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase and CHAP lysins have endopeptidase activity.     

Structures and biological activities of peptidoglycans of Listeria monocytogenes and Propionibacterium acnes

The cell-wall skeletons of Listeria monocytogenes strain EGD and Propionibacterium acnes strain C7, which have the ability to induce macrophage activation, were analyzed, and the structures of the peptidoglycans were investigated. The analytical data indicate that both peptidoglycans have glucosamine residues with free amino groups, which are responsible for the resistance to lysozyme. Possible structures of these peptidoglycans were deduced from the composition and the results of determination of N- and C-terminal amino acids, together with the characterization of fragments obtained by enzymatic treatment and partial acid hydrolysis of both peptidoglycans. The results suggested that the peptidoglycan of L. monocytogenes contains a cross-linkage region of peptide chains with meso-diaminopimelic acid and D-alanine, which belongs to the A1 gamma type (Schleifer, K.H. & Kandler, O. (1972) Bacteriol. Rev. 36, 407-477), whereas the peptidoglycan of P. acnes contains a cross-linkage region of peptide chains with L,L-diaminopimelic acid and D-alanine, in which two glycine residues combine with amino and carboxyl groups of two L,L-diaminopimelic acid residues. The latter type should be classified as a new type. These cell-wall skeletons and peptidoglycans were shown to have immunoadjuvant activity on the induction of delayed-type hypersensitivity and suppressive activity on the growth of 3-methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma in BALB/c mice, and the peptidoglycans were shown to be an immunological-active principle of these cell-wall skeletons.     

Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding the major peptidoglycan hydrolase of Lactococcus lactis, a muramidase needed for cell separation.

A gene of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris MG1363 encoding a peptidoglycan hydrolase was identified in a genomic library of the strain in pUC19 by screening Escherichia coli transformants for cell wall lysis activity on a medium containing autoclaved, lyophilized Micrococcus lysodeikticus cells. In cell extracts of L. lactis MG1363 and several halo-producing E. coli transformants, lytic bands of similar sizes were identified by denaturing sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gels containing L. lactis or M. lysodeikticus cell walls. Of these clearing bands, corresponding to the presence of lytic enzymes with sizes of 46 and 41 kDa, the 41-kDa band was also present in the supernatant of an L. lactis culture. Deletion analysis of one of the recombinant plasmids showed that the information specifying lytic activity was contained within a 2,428-bp EcoRV-Sau3A fragment. Sequencing of part of this fragment revealed a gene (acmA) that could encode a polypeptide of 437 amino acid residues. The calculated molecular mass of AcmA (46,564 Da) corresponded to that of one of the lytic activities detected. Presumably, the enzyme is synthesized as a precursor protein which is processed by cleavage after the Ala at position 57, thus producing a mature protein with a size of 40,264 Da, which would correspond to the size of the enzyme whose lytic activity was present in culture supernatants of L. lactis. The N-terminal region of the mature protein showed 60% identity with the N-terminal region of the mature muramidase-2 of Enterococcus hirae and the autolysin of Streptococcus faecalis. Like the latter two enzymes, AcmA contains C-terminal repeated regions. In AcmA, these three repeats are separated by nonhomologous intervening sequences highly enriched in serine, threonine, and asparagine. Genes specifying identical activities were detected in various strains of L. lactis subsp. lactis and L. lactis subsp. cremoris by the SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis detection assay and PCR experiments. By replacement recombination, an acmA deletion mutant which grew as long chains was constructed, indicating that AcmA is required for cell separation.     

Three redundant murein endopeptidases catalyse an essential cleavage step in peptidoglycan synthesis of Escherichia coli K12

Bacterial peptidoglycan (PG or murein) is a single, large, covalently cross‐linked macromolecule and forms a mesh‐like sacculus that completely encases the cytoplasmic membrane. Hence, growth of a bacterial cell is intimately coupled to expansion of murein sacculus and requires cleavage of pre‐existing cross‐links for incorporation of new murein material. Although, conceptualized nearly five decades ago, the mechanism of such essential murein cleavage activity has not been studied so far. Here, we identify three new murein hydrolytic enzymes in Escherichia coli, two (Spr and YdhO) belonging to the NlpC/P60 peptidase superfamily and the third (YebA) to the lysostaphin family of proteins that cleave peptide cross‐bridges between glycan chains. We show that these hydrolases are redundantly essential for bacterial growth and viability as a conditional mutant lacking all the three enzymes is unable to incorporate new murein and undergoes rapid lysis upon shift to restrictive conditions. Our results indicate the step of cross‐link cleavage as essential for enlargement of the murein sacculus, rendering it a novel target for development of antibacterial therapeutic agents.     

Positive role of peptidoglycan breaks in lactococcal biofilm formation

Bacterial attachment to solid matrices depends on adhesive molecules present on the cell surface. Here we establish a positive correlation between peptidoglycan (PG) breaks, rather than particular molecules, and biofilm-forming capacity in the Gram-positive bacterium Lactococcus lactis. The L. lactis acmA strain, which is defective in PG hydrolase, adhered less efficiently than the wild-type (wt) strain to different solid surfaces and was unable to form biofilms. These phenotypes were abolished by addition of lysozyme, a PG hydrolytic enzyme. Thus, the presence of PG breaks introduced by PG hydrolase, and not the AcmA protein itself, appears to be responsible for biofilm formation. Two different genetic screens confirmed the importance of PG breaks in L. lactis biofilm formation. Using the chain-forming ability of the acmA strain as a phenotypic indicator of PG integrity, we selected for insertional mutants generating short chains. Five independent mutants were all mapped to ponA, which encodes the PG synthesis enzyme PBP1A. Double acmA ponA mutants displayed increased adhesion and biofilm-forming capacity. Direct selection for strains with increased biofilm-forming capacity resulted in the isolation of another five mutations in ponA. Based on these results, we conclude that PG breaks are important for both adhesion and biofilm formation in L. lactis.     

Identification of Mur, an atypical peptidoglycan hydrolase derived from Leuconostoc citreum

A gene encoding a protein homologous to known bacterial N-acetyl-muramidases has been cloned from Leuconostoc citreum by a PCR-based approach. The encoded protein, Mur, consists of 209 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 23,821 Da including a 31-amino-acid putative signal peptide. In contrast to most of the other known peptidoglycan hydrolases, L. citreum Mur protein does not contain amino acid repeats involved in cell wall binding. The purified L. citreum Mur protein was shown to exhibit peptidoglycan-hydrolyzing activity by renaturing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. An active chimeric protein was constructed by fusion of L. citreum Mur to the C-terminal repeat-containing domain (cA) of AcmA, the major autolysin of Lactococcus lactis. Expression of the Mur-cA fusion protein was able to complement an acmA mutation in L. lactis; normal cell separation after cell division was restored by Mur-cA expression.     

Receptor binding domain of Escherichia coli F18 fimbrial adhesin FedF can be both efficiently secreted and surface displayed in a functional form in Lactococcus lactis

Adherence of F18 fimbrial Escherichia coli to porcine intestinal epithelial cells is mediated by the adhesin (FedF) of F18 fimbriae. In a previous study, we demonstrated the specificity of the amino acid residues between 60 and 109 as the receptor binding domain of FedF. In this study, different expression, secretion, and anchoring systems for the receptor binding domain of the FedF adhesin in Lactococcus lactis were evaluated. Two partially overlapping receptor binding domains (42 and 62 amino acid residues) were expressed as fusions with L. lactis subsp. cremoris protein PrtP for evaluation of secretion efficiency. To evaluate the cell surface display of these FedF-PrtP fusions, they were further combined with different lengths of PrtP spacers fused with either the L. lactis AcmA anchor or the PrtP cell wall binding domain. An HtrA-defective L. lactis NZ9000 mutant was constructed to determine its effect on the level of secreted or anchored fusion proteins. Recombinant L. lactis clones secreting the receptor binding domain of F18 fimbriae as a fusion with the H domains of L. lactis protein PrtP were first constructed by using two different signal peptides. FedF-PrtP fusions, directed by the signal sequence of L. brevis SlpA, were throughout found to be secreted at significantly higher quantities than corresponding fusions with the signal peptide of L. lactis Usp45. In the surface display systems tested, the L. lactis AcmA anchor performed significantly better, particularly in the L. lactis NZ9000DeltahtrA strain, compared to the L. lactis PrtP anchor region. Of the cell surface display constructs with the AcmA anchor, only those with the longest PrtP spacer regions resulted in efficient binding of recombinant L. lactis cells to porcine intestinal epithelial cells. These results confirmed that it is possible to efficiently produce the receptor binding domain of the F18 adhesin in a functionally active form in L. lactis.     

A Drosophila pattern recognition receptor contains a peptidoglycan docking groove and unusual L,D-carboxypeptidase activity

The Drosophila peptidoglycan recognition protein SA (PGRP-SA) is critically involved in sensing bacterial infection and activating the Toll signaling pathway, which induces the expression of specific antimicrobial peptide genes. We have determined the crystal structure of PGRP-SA to 2.2-A resolution and analyzed its peptidoglycan (PG) recognition and signaling activities. We found an extended surface groove in the structure of PGRP-SA, lined with residues that are highly diverse among different PGRPs. Mutational analysis identified it as a PG docking groove required for Toll signaling and showed that residue Ser158 is essential for both PG binding and Toll activation. Contrary to the general belief that PGRP-SA has lost enzyme function and serves primarily for PG sensing, we found that it possesses an intrinsic L,D-carboxypeptidase activity for diaminopimelic acid-type tetrapeptide PG fragments but not lysine-type PG fragments, and that Ser158 and His42 may participate in the hydrolytic activity. As L,D-configured peptide bonds exist only in prokaryotes, this work reveals a rare enzymatic activity in a eukaryotic protein known for sensing bacteria and provides a possible explanation of how PGRP-SA mediates Toll activation specifically in response to lysine-type PG.     

Engineering dehydrated amino acid residues in the antimicrobial peptide nisin.

The small antimicrobial peptide nisin, produced by Lactococcus lactis, contains the uncommon amino acid residues dehydroalanine and dehydrobutyrine and five thio ether bridges. Since these structures are posttranslationally formed from Ser, Thr, and Cys residues, it is feasible to study their role in nisin function and biosynthesis by protein engineering. Here we report the development of an expression system for mutated nisin Z (nisZ) genes, using nisin A producing L. lactis as a host. Replacement by site-directed mutagenesis of the Ser-5 codon in nisZ by a Thr codon, led to a mutant with a dehydrobutyrine instead of a dehydroalanine residue at position 5, as shown by NMR. Its antimicrobial activity was 2-10-fold lower relative to wild-type nisin Z, depending on the indicator strain used. In another mutagenesis study a double mutation was introduced in the nisZ gene by replacing the codons for Met-17 and Gly-18 by codons for Gln and Thr, respectively, as in the third lanthionine ring of the related antimicrobial peptide subtilin from Bacillus subtilis. This resulted in the simultaneous production of two mutant species, one containing a Thr residue and the other containing a dehydrobutyrine residue at position 18, both having different bacteriocidal properties.     

Cell wall attachment of a widely distributed peptidoglycan binding domain is hindered by cell wall constituents

The C-terminal region (cA) of the major autolysin AcmA of Lactococcus lactis contains three highly similar repeated regions of 45 amino acid residues (LysM domains), which are separated by nonhomologous sequences. The cA domain could be deleted without destroying the cell wall-hydrolyzing activity of the enzyme in vitro. This AcmA derivative was capable neither of binding to lactococcal cells nor of lysing these cells while separation of the producer cells was incomplete. The cA domain and a chimeric protein consisting of cA fused to the C terminus of MSA2, a malaria parasite surface antigen, bound to lactococcal cells specifically via cA. The fusion protein also bound to many other Gram-positive bacteria. By chemical treatment of purified cell walls of L. lactis and Bacillus subtilis, peptidoglycan was identified as the cell wall component interacting with cA. Immunofluorescence studies showed that binding is on specific locations on the surface of L. lactis, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus thermophilus, B. subtilis, Lactobacillus sake, and Lactobacillus casei cells. Based on these studies, we propose that LysM-type repeats bind to peptidoglycan and that binding is hindered by other cell wall constituents, resulting in localized binding of AcmA. Lipoteichoic acid is a candidate hindering component. For L. lactis SK110, it is shown that lipoteichoic acids are not uniformly distributed over the cell surface and are mainly present at sites where no MSA2cA binding is observed.     

Autolytic activity and pediocin-induced lysis in Pediococcus acidilactici and Pediococcus pentosaceus strains

AIMS: To evaluate the autolytic phenotype of Pediococcus acidilactici and P. pentosaceus, the peptidoglycan hydrolases content and the effect of pediocin AcH/PA-1 and autolysins on cell lysis. METHODS AND RESULTS: The autolytic phenotype of Pediococcus strains was evaluated under starvation conditions in potassium phosphate buffer. The strains tested showed an extent of autolysis ranging between 40 and 90% after 48 h of starvation at 37 degrees C. Peptidoglycan hydrolase content was evaluated by renaturing sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) using cells of Micrococcus lysodeikticus as a target for the enzymatic activity and a major activity band migrating at about 116 kDa was detected. Additional secondary lytic bands migrating in a range of molecular weight between 45 and 110 kDa were also detected. The lytic activity, evaluated in the presence of different chemicals, was retained in 15 mM CaCl2 and in a range of pH between 5 and 9.5 but was strongly reduced in presence of 8% NaCl and in the presence of protease inhibitors. The substrate specificity of peptidoglycan hydrolases of Pediococcus strains was evaluated in renaturing SDS-PAGE incorporating cells of different bacterial species. Lytic activity was detected against cells of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis, L. delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, Lactobacillus helveticus and Listeria monocytogenes. The interaction between pediocin AcH/PA-1 and autolysis was evaluated and a relevant effect of bacteriocin in cell-induced lysis was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The autolytic phenotype is widely distributed among P. acidilactici and P. pentosaceus and the rate of autolysis is high in the majority of the analysed strains. Several autolytic bands, detected by renaturing SDS-PAGE, retained their activity against several lactic acid bacteria and L. monocytogenes. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The characterization of the autolytic phenotype of Pediococcus acidilactici and P. pentosaceus strains should expand the knowledge of their role in fermentation processes where these species occur as primary or secondary bacterial population.     

A Drosophila Pattern Recognition Receptor Contains a Peptidoglycan Docking Groove and Unusual L,D-Carboxypeptidase Activity

The Drosophila peptidoglycan recognition protein SA (PGRP-SA) is critically involved in sensing bacterial infection and activating the Toll signaling pathway, which induces the expression of specific antimicrobial peptide genes. We have determined the crystal structure of PGRP-SA to 2.2-Å resolution and analyzed its peptidoglycan (PG) recognition and signaling activities. We found an extended surface groove in the structure of PGRP-SA, lined with residues that are highly diverse among different PGRPs. Mutational analysis identified it as a PG docking groove required for Toll signaling and showed that residue Ser158 is essential for both PG binding and Toll activation. Contrary to the general belief that PGRP-SA has lost enzyme function and serves primarily for PG sensing, we found that it possesses an intrinsic L,D-carboxypeptidase activity for diaminopimelic acid-type tetrapeptide PG fragments but not lysine-type PG fragments, and that Ser158 and His42 may participate in the hydrolytic activity. As L,D-configured peptide bonds exist only in prokaryotes, this work reveals a rare enzymatic activity in a eukaryotic protein known for sensing bacteria and provides a possible explanation of how PGRP-SA mediates Toll activation specifically in response to lysine-type PG.     

Characterization of the Lactococcus lactis nisin A operon genes nisP, encoding a subtilisin-like serine protease involved in precursor processing, and nisR, encoding a regulatory protein involved in nisin biosynthesis.

Biosynthesis of the lantibiotic peptide nisin by Lactococcus lactis NIZO R5 relies on the presence of the conjugative transposon Tn5276 in the chromosome. A 12-kb DNA fragment of Tn5276 including the nisA gene and about 10 kb of downstream DNA was cloned in L. lactis, resulting in the production of an extracellular nisin precursor peptide. This peptide reacted with antibodies against either nisin A or the synthetic leader peptide, suggesting that it consisted of a fully modified nisin with the nisin leader sequence still attached to it. This structure was confirmed by N-terminal sequencing and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of the purified peptide. Deletion studies showed that the nisR gene is essential for the production of this intermediate. The deduced amino acid sequence of the nisR gene product indicated that the protein belongs to the family of two-component regulators. The deduced amino acid sequence of NisP, the putative product of the gene upstream of nisR, showed an N-terminal signal sequence, a catalytic domain with a high degree of similarity to those of subtilisin-like serine proteases, and a putative C-terminal membrane anchor. Cell extracts of Escherichia coli overexpressing nisP were able to cleave the nisin precursor peptide, producing active, mature nisin. A similar activation was obtained with whole cells but not with membrane-free extracts of L. lactis strains carrying Tn5276 in which the nisA gene had been inactivated. The results indicate that the penultimate step in nisin biosynthesis is secretion of precursor nisin without cleavage of the leader peptide, whereas the last step is the cleavage of the leader peptide sequence from the fully maturated nisin peptide.     

Studies on the specificity of action of bacteriophage T4 lysozyme.

Lysozyme from bacteriophage T4 was found to digest a soluble, uncrosslinked peptidoglycan which is secreted by cells of Micrococcus luteus when incubated in the presence of penicillin G. Analysis of the enzymatic degradation products shows that T4 acts as an endo-acetylmuramidase capable of cleaving glycosidic bonds only at muramic acid residues that are substituted with peptide side-chains. The results indicate that the secreted peptidoglycan may consist of a mixture of chains, approximately half of which are substituted by peptide side chains on most of their muramic acid residues, while the other half is made up of chains in which the muramic acid moieties are unsubstituted.     

Bacteriophage receptors of Lactococcus lactis subsp. 'diacetylactis' F7/2 and Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris Wg2-1

Bacteriophage P008 revealed irreversible and uniform adsorption to cell walls of L. lactis subsp. 'diacetylactis' F7/2, whereas phage P127 adsorbed reversibly to a limited number of receptor sites on cell walls of L. lactis subsp. cremoris Wg2-1. Neither extraction of lipids, cell wall- and membrane-teichoic acids nor enzymatic degradation of proteins altered the binding efficiencies of both cell wall fractions. However, phage binding was inhibited, when cell walls were subjected to lysozyme, metaperiodate, or acid treatments. This reflects that a carbohydrate component embedded in the peptidoglycan matrix is part of the phage receptors of strains F7/2 and Wg2-1.     

Characterization of the role of para-aminobenzoic acid biosynthesis in folate production by Lactococcus lactis

The pab genes for para-aminobenzoic acid (pABA) biosynthesis in Lactococcus lactis were identified and characterized. In L. lactis NZ9000, only two of the three genes needed for pABA production were initially found. No gene coding for 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate lyase (pabC) was initially annotated, but detailed analysis revealed that pabC was fused with the 3' end of the gene coding for chorismate synthetase component II (pabB). Therefore, we hypothesize that all three enzyme activities needed for pABA production are present in L. lactis, allowing for the production of pABA. Indeed, the overexpression of the pABA gene cluster in L. lactis resulted in elevated pABA pools, demonstrating that the genes are involved in the biosynthesis of pABA. Moreover, a pABA knockout (KO) strain lacking pabA and pabBC was constructed and shown to be unable to produce folate when cultivated in the absence of pABA. This KO strain was unable to grow in chemically defined medium lacking glycine, serine, nucleobases/nucleosides, and pABA. The addition of the purine guanine, adenine, xanthine, or inosine restored growth but not the production of folate. This suggests that, in the presence of purines, folate is not essential for the growth of L. lactis. It also shows that folate is not strictly required for the pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. L. lactis strain NZ7024, overexpressing both the folate and pABA gene clusters, was found to produce 2.7 mg of folate/liter per optical density unit at 600 nm when the strain was grown on chemically defined medium without pABA. This is in sharp contrast to L. lactis strains overexpressing only one of the two gene clusters. Therefore, we conclude that elevated folate levels can be obtained only by the overexpression of folate combined with the overexpression of the pABA biosynthesis gene cluster, suggesting the need for a balanced carbon flux through the folate and pABA biosynthesis pathway in the wild-type strain.     

Peptidoglycan structure analysis of Lactococcus lactis reveals the presence of an L,D-carboxypeptidase involved in peptidoglycan maturation

Detailed structural analysis of Lactococcus lactis peptidoglycan was achieved by identification of its constituent muropeptides separated by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Modification of the classical elution buffer allowed direct and sensitive analysis of the purified muropeptides by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry. The structures of 45 muropeptides were assigned for L. lactis strain MG1363. Analysis of the muropeptide composition of an MG1363 dacB mutant showed that the dacB-encoded protein has l,d-carboxypeptidase activity and is involved in peptidoglycan maturation.