Microbial cell envelope anionic polymers

Microbial cell envelope anionic polymers are essential negatively charged components of the bacterial cell wall, primarily comprising teichoic acids (wall teichoic acids and lipoteichoic acids) in Gram-positive bacteria and lipopolysaccharides in Gram-negative bacteria (Brown et al., 2013, Nature Reviews Microbiology). These polymers play critical roles in maintaining cell wall integrity, regulating ion homeostasis by sequestering divalent cations like magnesium, and modulating the activity of autolytic enzymes (Swoboda et al., 2010, Chembiochem). In the context of pathogenesis, they serve as key virulence factors by facilitating adhesion to host tissues and evading the host immune system through the modulation of surface charge (Raetz and Whitfield, 2002, Annual Review of Biochemistry). Because of their high negative charge density, they are the primary targets for cationic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and certain lipopeptide antibiotics like daptomycin and polymyxins (Straus and Hancock, 2006, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta). Targeting these polymers or their biosynthetic pathways represents a significant strategy for developing new antibacterial agents to combat multi-drug resistant infections, although bacteria can develop resistance by modifying these polymers to reduce their negative charge (Trimble et al., 2016, Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine).

Other names

Teichoic acidsLipoteichoic acidsWall teichoic acidsLipopolysaccharidesBacterial cell wall anionic polymersAcidic cell wall polysaccharides

Cationic drugs and peptides bind to the anionic polymers via electrostatic attraction, which facilitates their insertion into the lipid bilayer or interference with cell wall assembly, ultimately leading to membrane depolarization or lysis (Straus and Hancock, 2006, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta; Trimble et al., 2016, Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Medicine).