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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0eLife

A novel mechanism for morphological change during bacterial sporulation based on programmed peptidoglycan degradation

  • Carlos A Ramirez Carbo1,2
  • Oihane Irazoki3
  • Srutha Venkatesan1
  • Lauren JS Chen1
  • Haylie A Morales1
  • Assariel J Garcia Avila1
  • Hoi-Ling Cheung1
  • Felipe Cava3
  • Beiyan Nan1
  1. 1Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States
  2. 2The Genetics and Genomics Interdisciplinary Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States
  3. 3Department of Molecular Biology and Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden, Umeå Centre for Microbial Research, SciLifeLab, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
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Abstract

Many bacteria form spores to endure unfavorable conditions. While Firmicutes generate endospores through cell division, sporulation in non-Firmicutes remains less understood. The Gram-negative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus undergoes sporulation through two distinct mechanisms: rapid sporulation triggered by chemical induction and slow sporulation driven by starvation, both occurring independently of cell division. Instead, these processes depend on the complete degradation of the peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall by two lytic transglycosylases (LTGs), LtgA and LtgB. Remarkably, LtgB programs the pace of PG degradation by LtgA during rapid sporulation, ensuring a controlled process that prevents abrupt PG breakdown and the formation of non-resistant pseudospores. In addition to regulation between LTGs, PG degradation is also influenced by its synthesis; cells exhibiting increased muropeptide production often circumvent sporulation. These findings not only reveal novel mechanisms of bacterial sporulation but also shed light on the regulatory network governing PG dynamics.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{carbo2026novel,
  title = {{A novel mechanism for morphological change during bacterial sporulation based on programmed peptidoglycan degradation}},
  author = {Carlos A Ramirez Carbo and Oihane Irazoki and Srutha Venkatesan and Lauren JS Chen and Haylie A Morales and Assariel J Garcia Avila and Hoi-Ling Cheung and Felipe Cava and Beiyan Nan},
  journal = {eLife},
  year = {2026},
  month = nov,
  doi = {10.7554/elife.108250},
  url = {https://elifesciences.org/articles/108250},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - A novel mechanism for morphological change during bacterial sporulation based on programmed peptidoglycan degradation
AU  - Carlos A Ramirez Carbo
AU  - Oihane Irazoki
AU  - Srutha Venkatesan
AU  - Lauren JS Chen
AU  - Haylie A Morales
AU  - Assariel J Garcia Avila
AU  - Hoi-Ling Cheung
AU  - Felipe Cava
AU  - Beiyan Nan
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/11/05
JO  - eLife
DO  - 10.7554/elife.108250
UR  - https://elifesciences.org/articles/108250
AB  - Many bacteria form spores to endure unfavorable conditions. While Firmicutes generate endospores through cell division, sporulation in non-Firmicutes remains less understood. The Gram-negative bacterium Myxococcus xanthus undergoes sporulation through two distinct mechanisms: rapid sporulation triggered by chemical induction and slow sporulation driven by starvation, both occurring independently of cell division. Instead, these processes depend on the complete degradation of the peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall by two lytic transglycosylases (LTGs), LtgA and LtgB. Remarkably, LtgB programs the pace of PG degradation by LtgA during rapid sporulation, ensuring a controlled process that prevents abrupt PG breakdown and the formation of non-resistant pseudospores. In addition to regulation between LTGs, PG degradation is also influenced by its synthesis; cells exhibiting increased muropeptide production often circumvent sporulation. These findings not only reveal novel mechanisms of bacterial sporulation but also shed light on the regulatory network governing PG dynamics.
SN  - 2050-084X
ER  -