This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Meador-Parton, J.
Right arrow Articles by Popham, D. L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Meador-Parton, J.
Right arrow Articles by Popham, D. L.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Journal of Bacteriology, August 2000, p. 4491-4499, Vol. 182, No. 16
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Structural Analysis of Bacillus subtilis Spore Peptidoglycan during Sporulation

Jennifer Meador-Parton and David L. Popham*

Department of Biology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061

Received 28 March 2000/Accepted 23 May 2000

A major structural element of bacterial endospores is a peptidoglycan (PG) wall. This wall is produced between the two opposed membranes surrounding the developing forespore and is composed of two layers. The inner layer is the germ cell wall, which appears to have a structure similar to that of the vegetative cell wall and which serves as the initial cell wall following spore germination. The outer layer, the cortex, has a modified structure, is required for maintenance of spore dehydration, and is degraded during spore germination. Theories suggest that the spore PG may also play a mechanical role in the attainment of spore dehydration. Inherent in one of these models is the production of a gradient of cross-linking across the span of the spore PG. We report analyses of the structure of PG found within immature, developing Bacillus subtilis forespores. The germ cell wall PG is synthesized first, followed by the cortex PG. The germ cell wall is relatively highly cross-linked. The degree of PG cross-linking drops rapidly during synthesis of the first layers of cortex PG and then increases two- to eightfold across the span of the outer 70% of the cortex. Analyses of forespore PG synthesis in mutant strains reveal that some strains that lack this gradient of cross-linking are able to achieve normal spore core dehydration. We conclude that spore PG with cross-linking within a broad range is able to maintain, and possibly to participate in, spore core dehydration. Our data indicate that the degree of spore PG cross-linking may have a more direct impact on the rate of spore germination and outgrowth.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Biology, 2119 Derring Hall MC0406, Blacksburg, VA 24061. Phone: (540) 231-2529. Fax: (540) 231-9307. E-mail: dpopham{at}vt.edu.

Journal of Bacteriology, August 2000, p. 4491-4499, Vol. 182, No. 16
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Vasudevan, P., McElligott, J., Attkisson, C., Betteken, M., Popham, D. L. (2009). Homologues of the Bacillus subtilis SpoVB Protein Are Involved in Cell Wall Metabolism. J. Bacteriol. 191: 6012-6019 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Paredes-Sabja, D., Setlow, P., Sarker, M. R. (2009). SleC Is Essential for Cortex Peptidoglycan Hydrolysis during Germination of Spores of the Pathogenic Bacterium Clostridium perfringens. J. Bacteriol. 191: 2711-2720 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Heffron, J. D., Orsburn, B., Popham, D. L. (2009). Roles of Germination-Specific Lytic Enzymes CwlJ and SleB in Bacillus anthracis. J. Bacteriol. 191: 2237-2247 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Lambert, E. A., Popham, D. L. (2008). The Bacillus anthracis SleL (YaaH) Protein Is an N-Acetylglucosaminidase Involved in Spore Cortex Depolymerization. J. Bacteriol. 190: 7601-7607 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Dowd, M. M., Orsburn, B., Popham, D. L. (2008). Cortex Peptidoglycan Lytic Activity in Germinating Bacillus anthracis Spores. J. Bacteriol. 190: 4541-4548 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Orsburn, B., Melville, S. B., Popham, D. L. (2008). Factors Contributing to Heat Resistance of Clostridium perfringens Endospores. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 3328-3335 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Hamilton, A., Popham, D. L., Carl, D. J., Lauth, X., Nizet, V., Jones, A. L. (2006). Penicillin-binding protein 1a promotes resistance of group B streptococcus to antimicrobial peptides.. Infect. Immun. 74: 6179-6187 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Priyadarshini, R., Popham, D. L., Young, K. D. (2006). Daughter Cell Separation by Penicillin-Binding Proteins and Peptidoglycan Amidases in Escherichia coli.. J. Bacteriol. 188: 5345-5355 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Real, G., Henriques, A. O. (2006). Localization of the Bacillus subtilis murB Gene within the dcw Cluster Is Important for Growth and Sporulation.. J. Bacteriol. 188: 1721-1732 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Silvaggi, J. M., Popham, D. L., Driks, A., Eichenberger, P., Losick, R. (2004). Unmasking Novel Sporulation Genes in Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 186: 8089-8095 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Gilmore, M. E., Bandyopadhyay, D., Dean, A. M., Linnstaedt, S. D., Popham, D. L. (2004). Production of Muramic {delta}-Lactam in Bacillus subtilis Spore Peptidoglycan. J. Bacteriol. 186: 80-89 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wei, Y., McPherson, D. C., Popham, D. L. (2004). A Mother Cell-Specific Class B Penicillin-Binding Protein, PBP4b, in Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 186: 258-261 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Driks, A. (2003). The dynamic spore. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 100: 3007-3009 [Full Text]  
  • Bagyan, I., Setlow, P. (2002). Localization of the Cortex Lytic Enzyme CwlJ in Spores of Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 184: 1219-1224 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • McPherson, D. C., Driks, A., Popham, D. L. (2001). Two Class A High-Molecular-Weight Penicillin-Binding Proteins of Bacillus subtilis Play Redundant Roles in Sporulation. J. Bacteriol. 183: 6046-6053 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Catalano, F. A., Meador-Parton, J., Popham, D. L., Driks, A. (2001). Amino Acids in the Bacillus subtilis Morphogenetic Protein SpoIVA with Roles in Spore Coat and Cortex Formation. J. Bacteriol. 183: 1645-1654 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»