Global control of sugar metabolism: a Gram-positive solution

Glucose and trehalose PTS permeases of Spiroplasma citri probably share a single IIA domain, enabling the spiroplasma to adapt quickly to carbohydrate changes in its environment

Microbiology ◽

10.1099/mic.0.26336-0 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 149 (9) ◽

pp. 2687-2696 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Aurélie André ◽

Walter Maccheroni ◽

François Doignon ◽

Monique Garnier ◽

Joël Renaudin

Keyword(s):

Sugar Metabolism ◽

Insect Vector ◽

Plant Host ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Spiroplasma Citri ◽

Leafhopper Vector ◽

Genes Encoding ◽

Key Factor ◽

Sieve Tubes ◽

Single Polypeptide

Spiroplasma citri is a plant-pathogenic mollicute phylogenetically related to Gram-positive bacteria. Spiroplasma cells are restricted to the phloem sieve tubes and are transmitted from plant to plant by the leafhopper vector Circulifer haematoceps. In the plant sieve tubes, S. citri grows on glucose and fructose, whereas in the leafhopper haemolymph the spiroplasma must grow on trehalose, the major sugar in insects. Previous studies in this laboratory have shown that fructose utilization was a key factor of spiroplasmal pathogenicity. To further study the implication of sugar metabolism in the interactions of S. citri with its plant host and its leafhopper vector, genes encoding permease enzymes II (EIIGlc and EIITre) of the S. citri phosphoenolpyruvate : glucose and phosphoenolpyruvate : trehalose phosphotransferase systems (PTS) were characterized. Mapping studies revealed that the EIIGlc complex was split into two distinct polypeptides, IIAGlc and IICBGlc, encoded by two separate genes, crr and ptsG, respectively. As expected, S. citri polypeptides IIAGlc and IICBGlc were more phylogenetically related to their counterparts from Gram-positive than to those from Gram-negative bacteria. The trehalose operon consisted of three genes treR, treP and treA, encoding a transcriptional regulator, the PTS permease (EIITre) and the amylase, respectively. However, in contrast to the fructose-PTS permease, which is encoded as a single polypeptide (IIABCFru) containing the three domains A, B and C, the trehalose-PTS permease (IIBCTre) lacks its own IIA domain. No trehalose-specific IIA could be identified in the spiroplasmal genome, suggesting that the IIBCTre permease probably functions with the IIAGlc domain. In agreement with this statement, yeast two-hybrid system experiments revealed that the IIAGlc domain interacted not only with IIBGlc but also with the IIBTre domain. The results are discussed with respect to the ability of the spiroplasma to adapt from the phloem sap of the host plant to the haemolymph and salivary gland cells of the insect vector.

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The Fst/Ldr Family of Type I TA System Toxins: Potential Roles in Stress Response, Metabolism and Pathogenesis

Toxins ◽

10.3390/toxins12080474 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 474

Author(s):

Keith Weaver

Keyword(s):

Sugar Metabolism ◽

Type I ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Over Expression ◽

Gram Positive Bacteria ◽

The Family ◽

Peptide Toxins ◽

And Function

The parpAD1 locus was the first type I toxin–antitoxin (TA) system described in Gram-positive bacteria and was later determined to be the founding member of a widely distributed family of plasmid- and chromosomally encoded TA systems. Indeed, homology searches revealed that the toxin component, FstpAD1, is a member of the Fst/Ldr superfamily of peptide toxins found in both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Regulation of the Fst and Ldr toxins is distinct in their respective Gram-positive and Gram-negative hosts, but the effects of ectopic over-expression are similar. While, the plasmid versions of these systems appear to play the canonical role of post-segregational killing stability mechanisms, the function of the chromosomal systems remains largely obscure. At least one member of the family has been suggested to play a role in pathogenesis in Staphylococcus aureus, while the regulation of several others appear to be tightly integrated with genes involved in sugar metabolism. After a brief discussion of the regulation and function of the foundational parpAD1 locus, this review will focus on the current information available on potential roles of the chromosomal homologs.

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Influence of Cell Wall Composition on the Fossilisation of Bacteria and the Implications for the Search for Early Life Forms

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100015025 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 161 ◽

pp. 491-504 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Frances Westall

Keyword(s):

Cell Wall ◽

Life Forms ◽

Cation Binding ◽

Positive Bacterium ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Positive Bacteria ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Hydrothermal Sediments ◽

Identification Of Bacteria ◽

The Difference

AbstractThe oldest cell-like structures on Earth are preserved in silicified lagoonal, shallow sea or hydrothermal sediments, such as some Archean formations in Western Australia and South Africa. Previous studies concentrated on the search for organic fossils in Archean rocks. Observations of silicified bacteria (as silica minerals) are scarce for both the Precambrian and the Phanerozoic, but reports of mineral bacteria finds, in general, are increasing. The problems associated with the identification of authentic fossil bacteria and, if possible, closer identification of bacteria type can, in part, be overcome by experimental fossilisation studies. These have shown that not all bacteria fossilise in the same way and, indeed, some seem to be very resistent to fossilisation. This paper deals with a transmission electron microscope investigation of the silicification of four species of bacteria commonly found in the environment. The Gram positiveBacillus laterosporusand its spore produced a robust, durable crust upon silicification, whereas the Gram negativePseudomonas fluorescens, Ps. vesicularis, andPs. acidovoranspresented delicately preserved walls. The greater amount of peptidoglycan, containing abundant metal cation binding sites, in the cell wall of the Gram positive bacterium, probably accounts for the difference in the mode of fossilisation. The Gram positive bacteria are, therefore, probably most likely to be preserved in the terrestrial and extraterrestrial rock record.

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Microanatomy of the Periplasm of Bacillus Licheniformis

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100065365 ◽

1971 ◽

Vol 29 ◽

pp. 262-263

Author(s):

B.K. Ghosh

Keyword(s):

Cell Wall ◽

Plasma Membrane ◽

Bacillus Licheniformis ◽

External Environment ◽

Permeability Barrier ◽

Periplasmic Space ◽

Modified Technique ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Gram Positive Bacteria

Periplasm of bacteria is the space outside the permeability barrier of plasma membrane but enclosed by the cell wall. The contents of this special milieu exterior could be regulated by the plasma membrane from the internal, and by the cell wall from the external environment of the cell. Unlike the gram-negative organism, the presence of this space in gram-positive bacteria is still controversial because it cannot be clearly demonstrated. We have shown the importance of some periplasmic bodies in the secretion of penicillinase from Bacillus licheniformis.In negatively stained specimens prepared by a modified technique (Figs. 1 and 2), periplasmic space (PS) contained two kinds of structures: (i) fibrils (F, 100 Å) running perpendicular to the cell wall from the protoplast and (ii) an array of vesicles of various sizes (V), which seem to have evaginated from the protoplast.

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Rapid demonstration of septic or infectious arthritis due to Gram-negative bacteria

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100123830 ◽

1992 ◽

Vol 50 (1) ◽

pp. 686-687

Author(s):

Jacob S. Hanker ◽

Paul R. Gross ◽

Beverly L. Giammara

Keyword(s):

Chronic Arthritis ◽

Blood Cultures ◽

Gram Negative Bacteria ◽

Infectious Arthritis ◽

Bacterial Arthritis ◽

Gram Positive ◽

Gram Negative ◽

Gram Positive Bacteria

Blood cultures are positive in approximately only 50 per cent of the patients with nongonococcal bacterial infectious arthritis and about 20 per cent of those with gonococcal arthritis. But the concept that gram-negative bacteria could be involved even in chronic arthritis is well-supported. Gram stains are more definitive in staphylococcal arthritis caused by gram-positive bacteria than in bacterial arthritis due to gram-negative bacteria. In the latter situation where gram-negative bacilli are the problem, Gram stains are helpful for 50% of the patients; they are only helpful for 25% of the patients, however, where gram-negative gonococci are the problem. In arthritis due to gram-positive Staphylococci. Gramstained smears are positive for 75% of the patients.

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