Structure and mechanism of biosynthesis of Streptococcus mutans cell wall polysaccharide

Jeffrey S. Rush, Svetlana Zamakhaeva, Nicholas R. Murner, Pan Deng, Andrew J. Morris, Cameron W. Kenner, Ian Black, Christian Heiss, Parastoo Azadi, Konstantin V. Korotkov, Göran Widmalm and Natalia Korotkova ()
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Jeffrey S. Rush: University of Kentucky
Svetlana Zamakhaeva: University of Kentucky
Nicholas R. Murner: University of Kentucky
Pan Deng: University of Kentucky
Andrew J. Morris: University of Kentucky
Cameron W. Kenner: University of Kentucky
Ian Black: University of Georgia
Christian Heiss: University of Georgia
Parastoo Azadi: University of Georgia
Konstantin V. Korotkov: University of Kentucky
Göran Widmalm: Stockholm University
Natalia Korotkova: University of Kentucky

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: Abstract Streptococcus mutans, the causative agent of human dental caries, expresses a cell wall attached Serotype c-specific Carbohydrate (SCC) that is critical for cell viability. SCC consists of a polyrhamnose backbone of →3)α-Rha(1 → 2)α-Rha(1→ repeats with glucose (Glc) side-chains and glycerol phosphate (GroP) decorations. This study reveals that SCC has one predominant and two more minor Glc modifications. The predominant Glc modification, α-Glc, attached to position 2 of 3-rhamnose, is installed by SccN and SccM glycosyltransferases and is the site of the GroP addition. The minor Glc modifications are β-Glc linked to position 4 of 3-rhamnose installed by SccP and SccQ glycosyltransferases, and α-Glc attached to position 4 of 2-rhamnose installed by SccN working in tandem with an unknown enzyme. Both the major and the minor β-Glc modifications control bacterial morphology, but only the GroP and major Glc modifications are critical for biofilm formation.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56205-1

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