Open AccessAlanyl turnover from lipoteichoic acid to teichoic acid in Staphylococcus aureus
Author(s) -
Haas R.,
Koch H.U.,
Fischer W.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1984.tb00180.x
Subject(s) - teichoic acid , lipoteichoic acid , alanine , staphylococcus aureus , biochemistry , chemistry , hydrolysis , enzyme , amino acid , biology , peptidoglycan , bacteria , genetics
The metabolism of d ‐alanyl substituents of lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and teichoic acid was studied in Staphylococcus aureus . Double labelling with [ 3 H]glycerol and d ‐[ 14 C]alanine revealed that during the chase LTA was stable whereas its 14 C label rapidly decreased. Half‐time comparison indicated an enzyme‐ rather than a base‐catalyzed process. Correlated with the loss of [ 14 C]alanine from LTA was an increase of the radioactivity in wall‐linked alanine ester which, after hydrolysis with HF, proved to be linked to teichoic acid. These results suggest that LTA‐alanine is the donor for alanine esterification of teichoic acid. In connection with previous data we hypothesize that the loss of alanine from LTA is compensated by de novo incorporation.