In situ visualization of Braun’s lipoprotein on <i>E. coli</i> sacculi
Qi Sheng, Meng-Yao Zhang, Si-Min Liu, Zhuowei Chen, Peiling Yang, Hong‐Su Zhang, Mengyun Liu, Kang Li, Longsheng Zhao, Ning-Hua Liu, Lu‐Ning Liu, Xiu‐Lan Chen, Jamie K. Hobbs, Simon J. Foster, Yu‐Zhong Zhang, Hai‐Nan Su
Abstract
, as it provides a covalent cross-link between the outer membrane and the peptidoglycan layer. An important challenge in elucidating the physiological role of Lpp lies in attaining a detailed understanding of its distribution on the peptidoglycan layer. Here, using atomic force microscopy, we visualized Lpp directly on peptidoglycan sacculi. Lpp is homogeneously distributed over the outer surface of the sacculus at a high density. However, it is absent at the constriction site during cell division, revealing its role in the cell division process with Pal, another cell envelope-associated protein. Collectively, we have established a framework to elucidate the distribution of Lpp and other peptidoglycan-bound proteins via a direct imaging modality.