Bacterial peptidoglycan recycling

• Published in: Trends in microbiology (Regular ed.) 2024-11
• Main Authors: Gilmore, Michael C., Cava, Felipe
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: bacterial cell wall; GlcNAc; MurNAc; muropeptide; peptidoglycan recycling
• ISSN: 0966-842X; 1878-4380; 1878-4380
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2024.11.004

During growth and division, bacteria release fragments of their cell wall peptidoglycan (PG) which can be released to the environment or recycled by the cell.Bacteria have evolved distinct transporters and biochemical pathways for the transport and recycling of cell wall components.Recent studies have upended the precedent of AmpG as the principal PG recycling transporter in Gram-negative bacteria, clarifying its use alongside OppBCDF-MppA in Escherichia coli, and identified YejBEF-YepA in Alphaproteobacteria.Distinct strategies of PG recycling have been identified, but much remains to be discovered about its diversity and regulation. During growth and division, the bacterial cell wall is remodeled, resulting in the liberation of peptidoglycan (PG) fragments which are typically reinternalized and recycled. Recycling of PG has been studied in a few model species, but its importance and diversity are not yet well understood. Here, we review how bacteria transport and recycle the components of their PG, highlighting updates and new findings. During growth and division, the bacterial cell wall is remodeled, resulting in the liberation of peptidoglycan (PG) fragments which are typically reinternalized and recycled. Recycling of PG has been studied in a few model species, but its importance and diversity are not yet well understood. Here, we review how bacteria transport and recycle the components of their PG, highlighting updates and new findings.