D-amino acids govern stationary phase cell wall remodeling in bacteria.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Lam H
PROVIDER: S-EPMC2759711 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
D-amino acids govern stationary phase cell wall remodeling in bacteria.
Lam Hubert H Oh Dong-Chan DC Cava Felipe F Takacs Constantin N CN Clardy Jon J de Pedro Miguel A MA Waldor Matthew K MK
Science (New York, N.Y.) 20090901 5947
In all known organisms, amino acids are predominantly thought to be synthesized and used as their L-enantiomers. Here, we found that bacteria produce diverse D-amino acids as well, which accumulate at millimolar concentrations in supernatants of stationary phase cultures. In Vibrio cholerae, a dedicated racemase produced D-Met and D-Leu, whereas Bacillus subtilis generated D-Tyr and D-Phe. These unusual D-amino acids appear to modulate synthesis of peptidoglycan, a strong and elastic polymer tha ...[more]
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