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Cited by 410Probiotics and Fermented FoodsBacterial Genetics and BiotechnologyBiochemical and Structural Characterization

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Cell wall structure and function in lactic acid bacteria

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Chapot-Chartier, Marie-Pierre, Kulakauskas, Saulius·2014·Microbial Cell Factories
DOI 10.1186/1475-2859-13-s1-s9PMC PMC4155827
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Abstract

The cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria is a complex assemblage of glycopolymers and proteins. It consists of a thick peptidoglycan sacculus that surrounds the cytoplasmic membrane and that is decorated with teichoic acids, polysaccharides, and proteins. It plays a major role in bacterial physiology since it maintains cell shape and integrity during growth and division; in addition, it acts as the interface between the bacterium and its environment. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are traditionally and widely used to ferment food, and they are also the subject of more and more research because of their potential health-related benefits. It is now recognized that understanding the composition, structure, and properties of LAB cell walls is a crucial part of developing technological and health applications using these bacteria. In this review, we examine the different components of the Gram-positive cell wall: peptidoglycan, teichoic acids, polysaccharides, and proteins. We present recent findings regarding the structure and function of these complex compounds, results that have emerged thanks to the tandem development of structural analysis and whole genome sequencing. Although general structures and biosynthesis pathways are conserved among Gram-positive bacteria, studies have revealed that LAB cell walls demonstrate unique properties; these studies have yielded some notable, fundamental, and novel findings. Given the potential of this research to contribute to future applied strategies, in our discussion of the role played by cell wall components in LAB physiology, we pay special attention to the mechanisms controlling bacterial autolysis, bacterial sensitivity to bacteriophages and the mechanisms underlying interactions between probiotic bacteria and their hosts.

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Figure 1 Schematic representation of the structure of peptidoglycan. This is the type of structure found in L. lactis and numerous lactobacilli. In other LAB species, the nature of the interpeptide cross-bridge (depicted as D-Asp/D-Asn in the figure) may vary, the third di-amino acid (L-Lys) may be replaced by mDAP or L-ornithine, and the D-Ala in position five of the stem peptide may be replaced by D-lactate. Possible modifications of the PG structure, such as O-acetylation (O-Ac), N-deacetylation (leading to GlcNH2), or amidation (NH2), are indicated in red. The cleavage sites of the different classes of PG hydrolases are indicated with arrows.
Figure 1 Schematic representation of the structure of peptidoglycan. This is the type of structure found in L. lactis and numerous lactobacilli. In other LAB species, the nature of the interpeptide cross-bridge (depicted as D-Asp/D-Asn in the figure) may vary, the third di-amino acid (L-Lys) may be replaced by mDAP or L-ornithine, and the D-Ala in position five of the stem peptide may be replaced by D-lactate. Possible modifications of the PG structure, such as O-acetylation (O-Ac), N-deacetylation (leading to GlcNH2), or amidation (NH2), are indicated in red. The cleavage sites of the different classes of PG hydrolases are indicated with arrows.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 2 Schematic representation of the main steps of peptidoglycan and wall teichoic acid biosynthesis. Grey arrows denote the steps of PG biosynthesis, and brown arrows indicate the steps of WTA biosynthesis. The membrane-embedded undecaprenyl-phosphate carrier is represented by dark grey curved lines The glycerol-phosphate units are represented with green circles. The linkages formed by PBP and LCP are indicated with red arrows. The pre-existing PG is highlighted in gray. In the schematic, D-Asp is added to the lipid precursors; however, depending on the bacterial species, it may also be added to soluble precursors.
Figure 2 Schematic representation of the main steps of peptidoglycan and wall teichoic acid biosynthesis. Grey arrows denote the steps of PG biosynthesis, and brown arrows indicate the steps of WTA biosynthesis. The membrane-embedded undecaprenyl-phosphate carrier is represented by dark grey curved lines The glycerol-phosphate units are represented with green circles. The linkages formed by PBP and LCP are indicated with red arrows. The pre-existing PG is highlighted in gray. In the schematic, D-Asp is added to the lipid precursors; however, depending on the bacterial species, it may also be added to soluble precursors.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 3 Schematic representation of wall teichoic acid (WTA) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) structure. WTAs and LTAs with poly(glycerolphosphate) chain structure are represented. WTAs are covalently bound to PG by a phosphodiester linkage to the C6-hydroxyl of MurNAc via a linkage unit that usually consists of a disaccharide and a glycerol-phosphate unit. LTAs are anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane by a glycolipid (indicated in gray), which is a diglucosyldiacylglycerol. The R- indicates the substituents (e.g., D-Ala, Glc, Gal, or GlcNAc) found on the glycerol-phosphate chains.
Figure 3 Schematic representation of wall teichoic acid (WTA) and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) structure. WTAs and LTAs with poly(glycerolphosphate) chain structure are represented. WTAs are covalently bound to PG by a phosphodiester linkage to the C6-hydroxyl of MurNAc via a linkage unit that usually consists of a disaccharide and a glycerol-phosphate unit. LTAs are anchored to the cytoplasmic membrane by a glycolipid (indicated in gray), which is a diglucosyldiacylglycerol. The R- indicates the substituents (e.g., D-Ala, Glc, Gal, or GlcNAc) found on the glycerol-phosphate chains.CC BY · PubMed Central
Figure 4 Structure of the sugar-phosphate polysaccharide pellicle of three different L. lactis strains MG1363, 3107 and SMQ-388.
Figure 4 Structure of the sugar-phosphate polysaccharide pellicle of three different L. lactis strains MG1363, 3107 and SMQ-388.CC BY · PubMed Central

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  1. 10.1016/S0168-6445(98)00042-4 · DOI

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Metadata

Authors
Chapot-Chartier, M.-P., & Kulakauskas, S.
Affiliations
AgroParisTech (FR)
ORCID
Kulakauskas, Saulius
Venue
Microbial Cell Factories
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2014
Volume
13
Issue
Suppl 1
Pages
S9
ISSN
1475-2859 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1186/1475-2859-13-s1-s9
PMC
PMC4155827
OpenAlex
W2130696295
Cited by
410
References
189
Citations by year
2026: 42 · 2025: 40 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 44 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 49 · 2020: 61 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 3
Type
conference abstract
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Microbial Cell Factories (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR-11-BSV8-0004, ANR-11-BSV8-004-01)
  • Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Probiotics and Fermented Foods
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Biochemical and Structural Characterization
Keywords
lactic acid bacteria, bacterial cell wall, peptidoglycan, teichoic acid, cell wall polysaccharides, cell wall proteins, cell wall biosynthesis, bacterial autolysis, bacteriophage sensitivity, Gram-positive bacteria, food fermentation
MeSH terms
Acetylation, Bacterial Proteins, Cell Wall, Lactobacillaceae, Lipopolysaccharides, Peptidoglycan, Polysaccharides, Bacterial, Teichoic Acids, Host-Pathogen Interactions

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