Structure and mechanism of TagA, a novel membrane-associated glycosyltransferase that produces wall teichoic acids in pathogenic bacteria Journal Articles uri icon

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abstract

  • Staphylococcus aureus and other bacterial pathogens affix wall teichoic acids (WTAs) to their surface. These highly abundant anionic glycopolymers have critical functions in bacterial physiology and their susceptibility to β-lactam antibiotics. The membrane-associated TagA glycosyltransferase (GT) catalyzes the first-committed step in WTA biosynthesis and is a founding member of the WecB/TagA/CpsF GT family, more than 6,000 enzymes that synthesize a range of extracellular polysaccharides through a poorly understood mechanism. Crystal structures of TagA from T. italicus in its apo- and UDP-bound states reveal a novel GT fold, and coupled with biochemical and cellular data define the mechanism of catalysis. We propose that enzyme activity is regulated by interactions with the bilayer, which trigger a structural change that facilitates proper active site formation and recognition of the enzyme's lipid-linked substrate. These findings inform upon the molecular basis of WecB/TagA/CpsF activity and could guide the development of new anti-microbial drugs.

authors

  • Kattke, Michele D
  • Gosschalk, Jason E
  • Martinez, Orlando E
  • Kumar, Garima
  • Gale, Robert T
  • Cascio, Duilio
  • Sawaya, Michael R
  • Philips, Martin
  • Brown, Eric
  • Clubb, Robert T

publication date

  • April 2019