In Bacillus subtilis 168, teichoic acid of the cross-wall may be different from that of the cylinder: a hypothesis based on transcription analysis of tag genes

Abstract

Five of the genes known to encode the enzymes for the synthesis of poly(glycerol phosphate), the major teichoic acid of Bacillus subti/is 168, are organized in two divergently transcribed operons, tagAB and tagD€F. lacZ and gus transcriptional fusions to the first genes of these operons revealed that: (i) in media of different richness, higher growth rates were paralleled by lower transcription levels; (ii) upon transition to stationary phase, the transcription per unit mass of both operons increased abruptly by a factor of about two;and (iii) a rise in temperature was accompanied by decreased transcription of tagA and increased transcription of tagD. Mapping of transcription start points revealed two divergent aA-controlled promoters. Although tagD and the neighbouring downstream gene tag€ are transcribed from the same promoter, the latter was expressed at a much lower level than the former. Moreover, expression of tag€, and of the translationally coupled tagF, did not increase at the onset of the stationary phase, indicating that additional regulatory signals may act in the intergenic tagD-tag€ region. Optimal transcription of these operons appears to require the entire regulatory region, suggesting that tag gene expression may, among other factors, be regulated by the threedimensional configuration of this segment. The biological implications of these results are discussed.

A Continuum of Anionic Charge: Structures and Functions ofd-Alanyl-Teichoic Acids in Gram-Positive Bacteria

“…4). The regulatory elements of the divergon, two A -controlled promoters, are further modulated by signals coupled to cell division as well as to growth phase, media richness, P i concentration, and temperature (328). Evidence pointing to differences in the septal and cylindrical wall in this strain may be correlated with the differential control of WTA synthesis determined by the regulatory elements of this divergon (328).…”

“…The regulatory elements of the divergon, two A -controlled promoters, are further modulated by signals coupled to cell division as well as to growth phase, media richness, P i concentration, and temperature (328). Evidence pointing to differences in the septal and cylindrical wall in this strain may be correlated with the differential control of WTA synthesis determined by the regulatory elements of this divergon (328). Growth of strains with temperature-sensitive tag mutations (exception tagE) at the restrictive temperature caused an immediate cessation of WTA synthesis, while the synthesis of LTA and phospholipid was not affected (398,402).…”

Autolysins of Bacillus subtilis: multiple enzymes with multiple functions

“…Differential control of different teichoic acid genes with differing cell division rates suggests that the teichoic acid (one of the major anionic polymers) may have a different structure in the septa than in the cylindrical parts of the wall (Maue$ l et al, 1995). For instance, an uneven distribution of negative charge over the cell wall was observed by preferential binding of positively charged cytochrome c to the cylindrical regions rather than the poles (Wecke et al, 1997).…”

Genomic characterization of ribitol teichoic acid synthesis in Staphylococcus aureus: genes, genomic organization and gene duplication

“…In strain 168, the biosynthesis of teichoic acid poly(GroP) involves genes tagA, tagB, tagD, tagE, and tagF . These tag genes are organized in a divergon of two divergently transcribed operons, tagAB and tagDEF [4,5]. In W23, the biosynthesis of teichoic acids poly(RboP) involves genes tarA, tarB, tarD, tarF, tarI, tarJ, tarK and tarL .…”