TY - JOUR
T1 - Cell wall deficiency – an alternate bacterial lifestyle?
AU - Lazenby, James J.
AU - Li, Erica S.
AU - Whitchurch, Cynthia B.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); J.J.L., E.S.L. and C.B.W. were funded by the BBSRC Institute Strategic Programme Grant Microbes in the Food Chain BB/R012504/1 and its constituent project BBS/E/F/000PR10349 (Theme 2, Microbial Survival in the Food Chain).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Authors.
PY - 2022/8/4
Y1 - 2022/8/4
N2 - Historically, many species of bacteria have been reported to produce viable, cell wall deficient (CWD) variants. A variety of terms have been used to refer to CWD bacteria and a plethora of methods described in which to induce, cultivate and propagate them. In this review, we will examine the long history of scientific research on CWD bacteria examining the methods by which CWD bacteria are generated; the requirements for survival in a CWD state; the replicative processes within a CWD state; and the reversion of CWD bacteria into a walled state, or lack thereof. In doing so, we will present evidence that not all CWD variants are alike and that, at least in some cases, CWD variants arise through an adaptive lifestyle switch that enables them to live and thrive without a cell wall, often to avoid antimicrobial activity. Finally, the implications of CWD bacteria in recurring infections, tolerance to antibiotic therapy and antimicrobial resistance will be examined to illustrate the importance of greater understanding of the CWD bacteria in human health and disease.
AB - Historically, many species of bacteria have been reported to produce viable, cell wall deficient (CWD) variants. A variety of terms have been used to refer to CWD bacteria and a plethora of methods described in which to induce, cultivate and propagate them. In this review, we will examine the long history of scientific research on CWD bacteria examining the methods by which CWD bacteria are generated; the requirements for survival in a CWD state; the replicative processes within a CWD state; and the reversion of CWD bacteria into a walled state, or lack thereof. In doing so, we will present evidence that not all CWD variants are alike and that, at least in some cases, CWD variants arise through an adaptive lifestyle switch that enables them to live and thrive without a cell wall, often to avoid antimicrobial activity. Finally, the implications of CWD bacteria in recurring infections, tolerance to antibiotic therapy and antimicrobial resistance will be examined to illustrate the importance of greater understanding of the CWD bacteria in human health and disease.
KW - AMR
KW - antibiotic tolerance
KW - antimicrobial resistance
KW - CWD
KW - L-form. er membrane
KW - PBP, penicillin binding protein
KW - ROS, reac
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85135432093&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1099/mic.0.001218
DO - 10.1099/mic.0.001218
M3 - Review article
C2 - 35925044
AN - SCOPUS:85135432093
SN - 1350-0872
VL - 168
JO - Microbiology (United Kingdom)
JF - Microbiology (United Kingdom)
IS - 8
M1 - 001218
ER -