Fluorescent D-amino-acids reveal bi-cellular cell wall modifications important for Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus predation

Nat Microbiol. 2017 Dec;2(12):1648-1657. doi: 10.1038/s41564-017-0029-y. Epub 2017 Oct 3.

Abstract

Modification of essential bacterial peptidoglycan (PG)-containing cell walls can lead to antibiotic resistance; for example, β-lactam resistance by L,D-transpeptidase activities. Predatory Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus are naturally antibacterial and combat infections by traversing, modifying and finally destroying walls of Gram-negative prey bacteria, modifying their own PG as they grow inside prey. Historically, these multi-enzymatic processes on two similar PG walls have proved challenging to elucidate. Here, with a PG-labelling approach utilizing timed pulses of multiple fluorescent D-amino acids, we illuminate dynamic changes that predator and prey walls go through during the different phases of bacteria:bacteria invasion. We show formation of a reinforced circular port-hole in the prey wall, L,D-transpeptidaseBd-mediated D-amino acid modifications strengthening prey PG during Bdellovibrio invasion, and a zonal mode of predator elongation. This process is followed by unconventional, multi-point and synchronous septation of the intracellular Bdellovibrio, accommodating odd- and even-numbered progeny formation by non-binary division.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / metabolism*
  • Amino Acids, Diamino / metabolism*
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Bdellovibrio / metabolism
  • Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus / cytology
  • Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus / enzymology
  • Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus / genetics
  • Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus / metabolism*
  • Cell Wall / chemistry*
  • Cell Wall / metabolism*
  • Escherichia coli / metabolism
  • Genes, Bacterial / genetics
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / metabolism
  • Peptidoglycan / chemistry*
  • Peptidoglycan / metabolism*
  • Peptidyl Transferases / genetics
  • Peptidyl Transferases / metabolism
  • Sequence Deletion
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Amino Acids, Diamino
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Peptidoglycan
  • Peptidyl Transferases