Visualizing conformation transitions of the Lipid II flippase MurJ

Abstract

The biosynthesis of many polysaccharides, including bacterial peptidoglycan and eukaryotic N-linked glycans, requires transport of lipid-linked oligosaccharide (LLO) precursors across the membrane by specialized flippases. MurJ is the flippase for the lipid-linked peptidoglycan precursor Lipid II, a key player in bacterial cell wall synthesis, and a target of recently discovered antibacterials. However, the flipping mechanism of LLOs including Lipid II remains poorly understood due to a dearth of structural information. Here we report crystal structures of MurJ captured in inward-closed, inward-open, inward-occluded and outward-facing conformations. Together with mutagenesis studies, we elucidate the conformational transitions in MurJ that mediate lipid flipping, identify the key ion for function, and provide a framework for the development of inhibitors.

MurJ is the flippase for the lipid-linked peptidoglycan precursor Lipid II, a key player in bacterial cell wall synthesis, but the flipping mechanism remains poorly understood. Here authors report crystal structures of MurJ in different conformations which shed light on the MurJ transitions that mediate lipid flipping.