Antibiotic sensitivity reveals that wall teichoic acids mediate DNA binding during competence in Bacillus subtilis

Natural genetic transformation in bacteria requires DNA binding at the surface of competent cells. Here, Mirouze et al. show that wall teichoic acids are specifically produced or modified during competence in Bacillus subtilis and promote (directly or indirectly) DNA binding at the cell surface.

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nicolas Mirouze, Cécile Ferret, Charlène Cornilleau, Rut Carballido-López
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2018-11-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07553-8