Lipoteichoic acid deficiency permits normal growth but impairs virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Abstract

Teichoic acid is bound to peptidoglycan (wall teichoic acid, WTA) or to membrane glycolipids (lipoteichoic acid, LTA) in most Gram-positive bacteria. Here, the authors identify a putative ligase required for the assembly of LTA, but not WTA, and important for Streptococcus pneumoniae virulence in mouse models.