Heterogeneous set of cell wall teichoic acids in strains of Bacillus subtilis VKM B-760 and VKM B-764

Biochemistry (Mosc). 2009 Dec;74(12):1368-74. doi: 10.1134/s0006297909120116.

Abstract

Cell walls of Bacillus subtilis VKM B-760 and VKM B-764 are characterized by heterogeneous composition of teichoic acids. Polymer I with structure -6)-beta-D-Galp-(1-->1)-sn-Gro-(3-P-, polymer II with structure -6)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1-->1)-sn-Gro-(3-P-, and a small amount of unsubstituted 1,3-poly(glycerol phosphate) were detected in strain VKM B-760. Strain VKM B-764 contains an analogous set of teichoic acids, but a characteristic feature of polymer II is the presence of disubstituted glycerol residue with alpha-glucopyranose localization in the integral chain at C-1 hydroxyl and beta-glucopyranose as a side branch at C-2 hydroxyl (polymer III): -6)-alpha-D-Glcp-(1-->1)-[beta-D-Glcp-(1-->2)]-sn-Gro-(3-P-. The structures of polymer I in bacilli and polymer III in Gram-positive bacteria are described for the first time. Teichoic acids were studied by chemical methods and on the basis of combined analysis of one-dimensional 1H-, 13C-, and (31)P-NMR spectra, homonuclear two-dimensional (1)H/(1)H COSY, TOCSY, and ROESY, and heteronuclear two-dimensional (1)H/(13)C gHSQC- and HMQC-TOCSY experiments. Simultaneous presence of several different structure teichoic acids in the bacillus cell walls as well as chemotaxonomical perspectives of the application of these polymers as species-specific markers for members of the Bacillus genus is discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacillus subtilis / chemistry*
  • Carbohydrate Sequence
  • Cell Wall / chemistry*
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Teichoic Acids / analysis
  • Teichoic Acids / chemistry*

Substances

  • Teichoic Acids