Recent advances in understanding of enterobacterial common antigen synthesis and regulation

Antibiotic resistance has become one of the most significant global health threats, with nearly three million antibiotic-resistant infections occurring per year in the United States alone. This problem is especially acute in Gram-negative bacteria, which possess an outer membrane (OM) that surrounds...

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Main Authors: Haley C. Bennett, Angela M. Mitchell
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The Royal Society 2025-01-01
Series:Open Biology
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Online Access:https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsob.250055
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author Haley C. Bennett
Angela M. Mitchell
author_facet Haley C. Bennett
Angela M. Mitchell
author_sort Haley C. Bennett
collection DOAJ
description Antibiotic resistance has become one of the most significant global health threats, with nearly three million antibiotic-resistant infections occurring per year in the United States alone. This problem is especially acute in Gram-negative bacteria, which possess an outer membrane (OM) that surrounds the aqueous periplasm and cytoplasmic membrane and acts as a permeability barrier capable of excluding many antibiotics. The OM of Enterobacterales also contains a highly conserved, invariant carbohydrate-derived moiety known as enterobacterial common antigen (ECA), which has been shown to play a significant role in this membrane permeability barrier. Although ECA was first discovered in the 1960s, its precise function and regulation remain largely mysterious. Here, we highlight recent studies that have advanced our understanding of the structure, biosynthesis, regulation and potential functions of ECA. We also review new insights into the complex interactions of the cell envelope biosynthesis pathways which may also play a role in surface antigen biosynthesis.
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spelling doaj-art-4589758b5c8b4e0ba89ef3b2bf405c5e2025-08-20T03:32:46ZengThe Royal SocietyOpen Biology2046-24412025-01-0115710.1098/rsob.250055Recent advances in understanding of enterobacterial common antigen synthesis and regulationHaley C. Bennett0Angela M. Mitchell1Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USADepartment of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USAAntibiotic resistance has become one of the most significant global health threats, with nearly three million antibiotic-resistant infections occurring per year in the United States alone. This problem is especially acute in Gram-negative bacteria, which possess an outer membrane (OM) that surrounds the aqueous periplasm and cytoplasmic membrane and acts as a permeability barrier capable of excluding many antibiotics. The OM of Enterobacterales also contains a highly conserved, invariant carbohydrate-derived moiety known as enterobacterial common antigen (ECA), which has been shown to play a significant role in this membrane permeability barrier. Although ECA was first discovered in the 1960s, its precise function and regulation remain largely mysterious. Here, we highlight recent studies that have advanced our understanding of the structure, biosynthesis, regulation and potential functions of ECA. We also review new insights into the complex interactions of the cell envelope biosynthesis pathways which may also play a role in surface antigen biosynthesis.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsob.250055enterobacterial common antigensurface antigensO-antigengene expressionpermeabilityouter membrane
spellingShingle Haley C. Bennett
Angela M. Mitchell
Recent advances in understanding of enterobacterial common antigen synthesis and regulation
Open Biology
enterobacterial common antigen
surface antigens
O-antigen
gene expression
permeability
outer membrane
title Recent advances in understanding of enterobacterial common antigen synthesis and regulation
title_full Recent advances in understanding of enterobacterial common antigen synthesis and regulation
title_fullStr Recent advances in understanding of enterobacterial common antigen synthesis and regulation
title_full_unstemmed Recent advances in understanding of enterobacterial common antigen synthesis and regulation
title_short Recent advances in understanding of enterobacterial common antigen synthesis and regulation
title_sort recent advances in understanding of enterobacterial common antigen synthesis and regulation
topic enterobacterial common antigen
surface antigens
O-antigen
gene expression
permeability
outer membrane
url https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsob.250055
work_keys_str_mv AT haleycbennett recentadvancesinunderstandingofenterobacterialcommonantigensynthesisandregulation
AT angelammitchell recentadvancesinunderstandingofenterobacterialcommonantigensynthesisandregulation