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Annual review of microbiology
2013;67 313-36.

Wall teichoic acids of gram-positive bacteria.

Stephanie Brown, John P Santa Maria, Suzanne Walker
Author Information
  1. Stephanie Brown: Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; email: suzanne_walker@hms.harvard.edu.
PMID: 24024634 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-092412-155620

Abstract

The peptidoglycan layers of many gram-positive bacteria are densely functionalized with anionic glycopolymers known as wall teichoic acids (WTAs). These polymers play crucial roles in cell shape determination, regulation of cell division, and other fundamental aspects of gram-positive bacterial physiology. Additionally, WTAs are important in pathogenesis and play key roles in antibiotic resistance. We provide an overview of WTA structure and biosynthesis, review recent studies on the biological roles of these polymers, and highlight remaining questions. We also discuss prospects for exploiting WTA biosynthesis as a target for new therapies to overcome resistant infections.

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Grants

  1. P01 AI083214/NIAID NIH HHS
  2. R01 AI099144/NIAID NIH HHS
  3. T32 AI007061/NIAID NIH HHS

MeSH Term

Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Cell Wall
Gram-Positive Bacteria
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections
Humans
Teichoic Acids

Chemicals

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Teichoic Acids
Journal Article Review
Article has an altmetric score of 34

Word Cloud

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