Characterization of the cell division-associated peptidoglycan amidase AmiA of <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i>
Peptidoglycan is an important structural cell wall polymer that serves to give bacteria their shape and resistance to changes in extracellular solute concentrations. For <i>Chlamydia trachomatis</i>, an obligate intracellular pathogen that divides within a host cell, peptidoglycan is only used for cell division and is not a component of its cell wall. In this study, we characterize the function of a chlamydial amidase that helps degrade peptidoglycan during cell division. We show a critical function for amidase activity in facilitating changes to the peptidoglycan structure during chlamydial cell division that support normal growth and development of this pathogenic bacterium.
Authors
- Anna Klöckner (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9372-4144)
- Iris Löckener (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7443-4333)
- Sebastian Krannich (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2189-0180)
- Scot P. Ouellette (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3721-6839)
- Tanja Schneider (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7269-4716)
- Jula Reuter
- Christian Otten (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-2562-404X)
- Julia Dannenberg
- George W. Liechti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3028-8474)
- Junghoon Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6416-8975)
- Beate Henrichfreise
Institutions
- Unifor (NO)
- University of Bonn (DE)
- University Hospital Bonn (DE)
- University of Nebraska Medical Center (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Bacteriology
- Published
- 2026-03-11
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1128/jb.00453-25
- Primary Topic
- Reproductive tract infections research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00