Pasquina-Lemonche, L., Burns, J., Turner, R.D. et al. (8 more authors) (2020) The architecture of the Gram-positive bacterial cell wall. Nature, 582 (7811). pp. 294-297. ISSN 0028-0836
Abstract
The primary structural component of the bacterial cell wall is peptidoglycan, which is essential for viability and the synthesis of which is the target for crucial antibiotics1,2. Peptidoglycan is a single macromolecule made of glycan chains crosslinked by peptide side branches that surrounds the cell, acting as a constraint to internal turgor1,3. In Gram-positive bacteria, peptidoglycan is tens of nanometres thick, generally portrayed as a homogeneous structure that provides mechanical strength4,5,6. Here we applied atomic force microscopy7,8,9,10,11,12 to interrogate the morphologically distinct Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis species, using live cells and purified peptidoglycan. The mature surface of live cells is characterized by a landscape of large (up to 60 nm in diameter), deep (up to 23 nm) pores constituting a disordered gel of peptidoglycan. The inner peptidoglycan surface, consisting of more nascent material, is much denser, with glycan strand spacing typically less than 7 nm. The inner surface architecture is location dependent; the cylinder of B. subtilis has dense circumferential orientation, while in S. aureus and division septa for both species, peptidoglycan is dense but randomly oriented. Revealing the molecular architecture of the cell envelope frames our understanding of its mechanical properties and role as the environmental interface13,14, providing information complementary to traditional structural biology approaches.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 The Author(s). This is an author-produced version of a paper subsequently published in Nature. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > School of Biosciences (Sheffield) > Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Sheffield) The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Science (Sheffield) > Department of Physics and Astronomy (Sheffield) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number ENGINEERING AND PHYSICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL EP/M027430/1 BIOTECHNOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH COUNCIL BB/L006162/1 WELLCOME TRUST (THE) 212197/Z/18/Z |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 11 May 2020 16:22 |
Last Modified: | 19 Nov 2021 15:39 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/s41586-020-2236-6 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:160585 |