Control of teichoic acid synthesis in Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945

Abstract

Analysis of cell walls of Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945 grown under phosphate limitation showed that teichoic acid could be replaced by teichuronic acid under these conditions. Teichuronic acid, however, was always present in the walls to some extent irrespective of the growth conditions. The enzymes involved in teichoic acid synthesis were investigated and the synthesis of these was shown to be repressed when the intracellular Pi level fell. CDP-glycerol pyrophosphorylase was studied in some detail and evidence is presented to show that the enzyme is inactivated under phosphate-limited conditions. The mechanism of inactivation is unknown but it has been shown that it does not require protein synthesis de novo.