Evidence that the PBP5 synthesis repressor (psr) of Enterococcus hirae is also involved in the regulation of cell wall composition and other cell wall related properties

psr has been reported by M. Ligozzi, F. Pittaluga, and R. Fontana, (J. Bacteriol. 175:2046–2051, 1993) to be a genetic element located just upstream of the structural gene for the low-affinity penicillin-binding protein 5 (PBP 5) in the chromosome of Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790 and to be involved in the repression of PBP 5 synthesis. By comparing properties of strains of E. hirae that contain a full-length, functional psr with those of strains that possess a truncated form of the gene, we have obtained data that indicate that psr is involved in the regulation of several additional surface-related properties. We observed that cells of strains that possessed a truncated psr were more sensitive to lysozyme-catalyzed protoplast formation, autolyzed more rapidly in 10 mM sodium phosphate (pH 6.8), and, in contrast to strains that possess a functional psr, retained these characteristics after the cultures entered the stationary growth phase. Cellular lytic properties did not correlate with differences in the cellular contents of muramidase-1 or muramidase-2, with the levels of PBP 5 produced, or with the penicillin susceptibilities of the strains. However, a strong correlation was observed with the amounts of rhamnose present in the cell walls of the various strains. All of the strains examined that possessed a truncated form of psr also possessed approximately one-half of the rhamnose content present in the walls of strains that possessed a functional psr. These data suggest that psr is also involved in the regulation of the synthesis of, or covalent linkage to the cell wall peptidoglycan of, a rhamnose-rich polysaccharide. These differences in cell wall composition could be responsible for the observed phenotypic differences. However, the multiple effects of psr suggest that it is part of a global regulatory system that, perhaps independently, affects several cell surface-related properties.