D-Amino Acids Govern Stationary Phase Cell Wall Remodeling in Bacteria

TLDR

Amino acids exist as l‑ and d‑enantiomers, but life predominantly uses the l‑form. The study shows that diverse bacteria secrete large amounts of d‑amino acids in a density‑dependent manner, and these d‑amino acids modulate peptidoglycan composition, structure, quantity, and strength. No additional metadata is provided.

Abstract

Anyone for d ? The chemistry of amino acids comes in two chirally distinct flavors—so-called l - and d -enantiomers. By far the most commonly used form of amino acids in all kingdoms of life is the l -form. Now Lam et al. (p. 1552 ; see the Perspective by Blanke ) present the unanticipated observation that diverse bacteria release large amounts of various d -amino acids into the environment in a population density–dependent fashion and that d -amino acids act as extracellular effectors that regulate the composition, structure, amount, and strength of peptidoglycan, the major stress-bearing component of the bacterial cell wall.