Spore formation and germination are essential for the bacterial pathogen Clostridioides
difficile to transmit infection. Despite the importance of these developmental processes to the …

Sporulation is a specialized developmental program employed by a diverse set of bacteria
which culminates in the formation of dormant cells displaying increased resilience to …

The current classification of the phylum Firmicutes (new name, Bacillota) features eight
distinct classes, six of which include known spore-forming bacteria. In Bacillus subtilis …

The dynamic composition of the peptidoglycan cell wall has been the subject of intense
research for decades, yet how bacteria coordinate the synthesis of new peptidoglycan with …

Highlights•C. difficile peptidoglycan is highly deacetylated.•C. difficile peptidoglycan
contains a majority of A 2 pm 3→ A 2 pm 3 cross-links.•C. difficile peptidoglycan is modified …

The first step of anaerobic benzoate degradation is the formation of benzoyl-coenzyme A by
benzoate-coenzyme A ligase (BCL). The anaerobic route is steered by benzoyl-CoA …

In the model organism Bacillus subtilis, a signaling protease produced in the forespore,
SpoIVB, is essential for the activation of the sigma factor σK, which is produced in the mother …

Some members of the Firmicutes phylum, including many members of the human gut
microbiota, are able to differentiate a dormant and highly resistant cell type, the endospore …

Engulfment requires the coordinated, targeted synthesis and degradation of peptidoglycan
at the leading edge of the engulfing membrane to allow the mother cell to completely engulf …

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a major cause of antibiotic associated diarrhea with over
200,000 cases of infection annually and a resultant 12,000 deaths. A major issue with C …