Bacterial peptidoglycan (murein) hydrolases.

Bacterial Physiological Phenomena; Bacterial Proteins/classification/physiology; Bacteriolysis; Cell Division; Cell Wall/enzymology/metabolism; N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase/classification/physiology; Peptidoglycan/metabolism; Spores, Bacterial/enzymology

Abstract :

[en] Most bacteria have multiple peptidoglycan hydrolases capable of cleaving covalent bonds in peptidoglycan sacculi or its fragments. An overview of the different classes of peptidoglycan hydrolases and their cleavage sites is provided. The physiological functions of these enzymes include the regulation of cell wall growth, the turnover of peptidoglycan during growth, the separation of daughter cells during cell division and autolysis. Specialized hydrolases enlarge the pores in the peptidoglycan for the assembly of large trans-envelope complexes (pili, flagella, secretion systems), or they specifically cleave peptidoglycan during sporulation or spore germination. Moreover, peptidoglycan hydrolases are involved in lysis phenomena such as fratricide or developmental lysis occurring in bacterial populations. We will also review the current view on the regulation of autolysins and on the role of cytoplasm hydrolases in peptidoglycan recycling and induction of beta-lactamase.

Disciplines :

Biochemistry, biophysics & molecular biology

Author, co-author :

Vollmer, Waldemar

Joris, Bernard ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la vie > Physiologie et génétique bactériennes - Centre d'ingénierie des protéines

Charlier, Paulette ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Centre d'ingénierie des protéines

Foster, Simon

Language :

English

Title :

Bacterial peptidoglycan (murein) hydrolases.

Publication date :

2008

Journal title :

FEMS Microbiology Reviews

ISSN :

0168-6445

eISSN :

1574-6976

Publisher :

Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, United Kingdom

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

259-86

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 23 September 2009

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152 (9 by ULiège)

Number of downloads

3 (1 by ULiège)

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Scopus citations^®

663

Scopus citations^®
without self-citations

607

OpenCitations

647

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