Skip to main content

Ultra-Sensitive, High-Resolution Liquid Chromatography Methods for the High-Throughput Quantitative Analysis of Bacterial Cell Wall Chemistry and Structure

  • Protocol
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1440))

Abstract

High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis has been critical for determining the structural and chemical complexity of the cell wall. However this method is very time consuming in terms of sample preparation and chromatographic separation. Here we describe (1) optimized methods for peptidoglycan isolation from both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria that dramatically reduce the sample preparation time, and (2) the application of the fast and highly efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) technology to muropeptide separation and quantification. The advances in both analytical instrumentation and stationary-phase chemistry have allowed for evolved protocols which cut run time from hours (2–3 h) to minutes (10–20 min), and sample demands by at least one order of magnitude. Furthermore, development of methods based on organic solvents permits in-line mass spectrometry (MS) of the UPLC-resolved muropeptides. Application of these technologies to high-throughput analysis will expedite the better understanding of the cell wall biology.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Protocol
USD   49.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Springer Nature is developing a new tool to find and evaluate Protocols. Learn more

References

  1. Vollmer W, Blanot D, de Pedro MA (2008) Peptidoglycan structure and architecture. FEMS Microbiol Rev 32(2):149–167. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6976.2007.00094.x, FMR094 [pii]

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Alvarez L, Espaillat A, Hermoso JA, de Pedro MA, Cava F (2014) Peptidoglycan remodeling by the coordinated action of multispecific enzymes. Microb Drug Resist 20(3):190–198. doi:10.1089/mdr.2014.0047

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Cava F, de Pedro MA (2014) Peptidoglycan plasticity in bacteria: emerging variability of the murein sacculus and their associated biological functions. Curr Opin Microbiol 18:46–53. doi:10.1016/j.mib.2014.01.004

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Glauner B, Holtje JV, Schwarz U (1988) The composition of the murein of Escherichia coli. J Biol Chem 263(21):10088–10095

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Desmarais SM, De Pedro MA, Cava F, Huang KC (2013) Peptidoglycan at its peaks: how chromatographic analyses can reveal bacterial cell wall structure and assembly. Mol Microbiol 89(1):1–13. doi:10.1111/mmi.12266

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Ikeda S, Hanaki H, Yanagisawa C, Ikeda-Dantsuji Y, Matsui H, Iwatsuki M, Shiomi K, Nakae T, Sunakawa K, Omura S (2010) Identification of the active component that induces vancomycin resistance in MRSA. J Antibiot 63(9):533–538. doi:10.1038/ja.2010.75

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Filipe SR, Tomasz A (2000) Inhibition of the expression of penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae by inactivation of cell wall muropeptide branching genes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 97(9):4891–4896. doi:10.1073/pnas.080067697

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Lortal S, Van Heijenoort J, Gruber K, Sleytr UB (1992) S-layer of Lactobacillus helveticus ATCC 12046: isolation, chemical characterization and re-formation after extraction with lithium chloride. Microbiology 138(3):611–618. doi:10.1099/00221287-138-3-611

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Liang OD, Flock JI, Wadstrom T (1995) Isolation and characterisation of a vitronectin-binding surface protein from Staphylococcus aureus. Biochim Biophys Acta 1250(1): 110–116

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Regulski K, Courtin P, Meyrand M, Claes IJ, Lebeer S, Vanderleyden J, Hols P, Guillot A, Chapot-Chartier MP (2012) Analysis of the peptidoglycan hydrolase complement of Lactobacillus casei and characterization of the major gamma-D-glutamyl-L-lysyl-endopeptidase. PLoS One 7(2):e32301. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0032301

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  11. Hill SA, Judd RC (1989) Identification and characterization of peptidoglycan-associated proteins in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Infect Immun 57(11):3612–3618

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Felipe Cava .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this protocol

Cite this protocol

Alvarez, L., Hernandez, S.B., de Pedro, M.A., Cava, F. (2016). Ultra-Sensitive, High-Resolution Liquid Chromatography Methods for the High-Throughput Quantitative Analysis of Bacterial Cell Wall Chemistry and Structure. In: Hong, HJ. (eds) Bacterial Cell Wall Homeostasis. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1440. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3676-2_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3676-2_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-3674-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-3676-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

Publish with us

Policies and ethics