The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) scientists right here have found an enzyme that helps preserve the stability and integrity of cell partitions in micro organism akin to Escherichia coli.
Named ‘LdtF’, the enzyme performs a significant function within the formation of covalent linkages between the bacterial outer membrane and an inside polymer layer that protects micro organism from environmental stress. This research will assist perceive the basic bacterial cell wall biology and establish alternate drug targets for the event of new antimicrobials.
Cell wall of gram-negative micro organism has an outer membrane and an inside membrane. Sandwiched between these two membranes is a layer of ‘peptidoglycan’, a polymer of amino acids and sugars that kind a protecting layer. A lipoprotein is understood to hyperlink the outer membrane to the layer of peptidoglycan. But, how the linkages between the lipoprotein and peptidoglycan are modified is just not identified.
CCMB scientists led by Manjula Reddy studied the cell wall biology of a well-studied pressure of E. coli using genetic and biochemical approaches to establish ‘LdtF’ which may cleave the lipoprotein from the peptidoglycan. Absence of this LdtF enhanced development defects and elevated the peptidoglycan-lipoprotein linkages within the micro organism.
The presence of this enzyme, nonetheless, decreased the degrees of peptidoglycan-bound lipoprotein, suggesting its function in modulating the peptidoglycan-lipoprotein linkages. Such LdtF-mediated modulation of the cell wall offers micro organism flexibility and a survival benefit in fluctuating environmental circumstances, stated Dr. Reddy. The analysis discovering was revealed in PNAS and has been featured within the newest Nature India journal.
