Architecture and genomic arrangement of the MurE-MurF bacterial cell wall biosynthesis complex.

Peptidoglycan (PG) is a central component of the bacterial cell wall, and the disruption of its biosynthetic pathway has been a successful antibacterial strategy for decades. PG biosynthesis is initiated in the cytoplasm through sequential reactions catalyzed by Mur enzymes that have been suggested to associate into a multimembered complex. This idea is supported by the observation that in many eubacteria, mur genes are present in a single operon within the well conserved dcw cluster, and in some cases, pairs of mur genes are fused to encode a single, chimeric polypeptide. We performed a vast genomic analysis using >140 bacterial genomes and mapped Mur chimeras in numerous phyla, with Proteobacteria carrying the highest number. MurE-MurF, the most prevalent chimera, exists in forms that are either directly associated or separated by a linker. The crystal structure of the MurE-MurF chimera from Bordetella pertussis reveals a head-to-tail, elongated architecture supported by an interconnecting hydrophobic patch that stabilizes the positions of the two proteins. Fluorescence polarization assays reveal that MurE-MurF interacts with other Mur ligases via its central domains with KDs in the high nanomolar range, backing the existence of a Mur complex in the cytoplasm. These data support the idea of stronger evolutionary constraints on gene order when encoded proteins are intended for association, establish a link between Mur ligase interaction, complex assembly and genome evolution, and shed light on regulatory mechanisms of protein expression and stability in pathways of critical importance for bacterial survival.

Self-association of MreC as a regulatory signal in bacterial cell wall elongation.

The elongasome, or Rod system, is a protein complex that controls cell wall formation in rod-shaped bacteria. MreC is a membrane-associated elongasome component that co-localizes with the cytoskeletal element MreB and regulates the activity of cell wall biosynthesis enzymes, in a process that may be dependent on MreC self-association. Here, we use electron cryo-microscopy and X-ray crystallography to determine the structure of a self-associated form of MreC from Pseudomonas aeruginosa in atomic detail. MreC monomers interact in head-to-tail fashion. Longitudinal and lateral interfaces are essential for oligomerization in vitro, and a phylogenetic analysis of proteobacterial MreC sequences indicates the prevalence of the identified interfaces. Our results are consistent with a model where MreC's ability to alternate between self-association and interaction with the cell wall biosynthesis machinery plays a key role in the regulation of elongasome activity.

Complex Formation between Mur Enzymes from Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Peptidoglycan is one of the major components of the bacterial cell wall, being responsible for shape and stability. Due to its essential nature, its biosynthetic pathway is the target for major antibiotics, and proteins involved in its biosynthesis continue to be targeted for inhibitor studies. The biosynthesis of its major building block, Lipid II, is initiated in the bacterial cytoplasm with the sequential reactions catalyzed by Mur enzymes, which have been suggested to form a multiprotein complex to facilitate shuttling of the building blocks toward the inner membrane. In this work, we purified MurC, MurD, MurE, MurF, and MurG from the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae and characterized their interactions using chemical cross-linking, mass spectrometry, analytical ultracentrifugation, and microscale thermophoresis. Mur ligases interact strongly as binary complexes, with interaction regions mapping mostly to loop regions. Interestingly, MurC, MurD, and MurE display 10-fold higher affinity for each other than for MurF and MurG, suggesting that Mur ligases that catalyze the initial reactions in the peptidoglycan biosynthesis pathway could form a subcomplex that could be important to facilitate Lipid II biosynthesis. The interface between Mur proteins could represent a yet unexplored target for new inhibitor studies that could lead to the development of novel antimicrobials.

The MurG glycosyltransferase provides an oligomeric scaffold for the cytoplasmic steps of peptidoglycan biosynthesis in the human pathogen Bordetella pertussis.

Peptidoglycan is a major component of the bacterial cell wall and thus a major determinant of cell shape. Its biosynthesis is initiated by several sequential reactions catalyzed by cytoplasmic Mur enzymes. Mur ligases (MurC, -D, -E, and -F) are essential for bacteria, metabolize molecules not present in eukaryotes, and are structurally and biochemically tractable. However, although many Mur inhibitors have been developed, few have shown promising antibacterial activity, prompting the hypothesis that within the cytoplasm, Mur enzymes could exist as a complex whose architecture limits access of small molecules to their active sites. This suggestion is supported by the observation that in many bacteria, mur genes are present in a single operon, and pairs of these genes often are fused to generate a single polypeptide. Here, we explored this genetic arrangement in the human pathogen Bordetella pertussis and show that MurE and MurF are expressed as a single, bifunctional protein. EM, small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and analytical centrifugation (AUC) revealed that the MurE-MurF fusion displays an elongated, flexible structure that can dimerize. Moreover, MurE-MurF interacted with the peripheral glycosyltransferase MurG, which formed discrete oligomers resembling 4- or 5-armed stars in EM images. The oligomeric structure of MurG may allow it to play a bona fide scaffolding role for a potential Mur complex, facilitating the efficient conveyance of peptidoglycan-building blocks toward the inner membrane leaflet. Our findings shed light on the structural determinants of a peptidoglycan formation complex involving Mur enzymes in bacterial cell wall formation.

Penicillin-Binding Proteins (PBPs) and Bacterial Cell Wall Elongation Complexes.

The bacterial cell wall is the validated target of mainstream antimicrobials such as penicillin and vancomycin. Penicillin and other ß-lactams act by targeting Penicillin-Binding Proteins (PBPs), enzymes that play key roles in the biosynthesis of the main component of the cell wall, the peptidoglycan. Despite the spread of resistance towards these drugs, the bacterial cell wall continues to be a major Achilles' heel for microbial survival, and the exploration of the cell wall formation machinery is a vast field of work that can lead to the development of novel exciting therapies. The sheer complexity of the cell wall formation process, however, has created a significant challenge for the study of the macromolecular interactions that regulate peptidoglycan biosynthesis. New developments in genetic and biochemical screens, as well as different aspects of structural biology, have shed new light on the importance of complexes formed by PBPs, notably within the cell wall elongation machinery. This chapter summarizes structural and functional details of PBP complexes involved in the periplasmic and membrane steps of peptidoglycan biosynthesis with a focus on cell wall elongation. These assemblies could represent interesting new targets for the eventual development of original antibacterials.

Structural Insights into Protein-Protein Interactions Involved in Bacterial Cell Wall Biogenesis.

The bacterial cell wall is essential for survival, and proteins that participate in its biosynthesis have been the targets of antibiotic development efforts for decades. The biosynthesis of its main component, the peptidoglycan, involves the coordinated action of proteins that are involved in multi-member complexes which are essential for cell division (the "divisome") and/or cell wall elongation (the "elongasome"), in the case of rod-shaped cells. Our knowledge regarding these interactions has greatly benefitted from the visualization of different aspects of the bacterial cell wall and its cytoskeleton by cryoelectron microscopy and tomography, as well as genetic and biochemical screens that have complemented information from high resolution crystal structures of protein complexes involved in divisome or elongasome formation. This review summarizes structural and functional aspects of protein complexes involved in the cytoplasmic and membrane-related steps of peptidoglycan biosynthesis, with a particular focus on protein-protein interactions whereby disruption could lead to the development of novel antibacterial strategies.