Methionine biosynthesis and transport are functionally redundant for the growth and virulence of Salmonella Typhimurium

Abstract

Methionine (Met) is an amino acid essential for many important cellular and biosynthetic functions, including the initiation of protein synthesis and S-adenosylmethionine?mediated methylation of proteins, RNA, and DNA. The de novo biosynthetic pathway of Met is well conserved across prokaryotes but absent from vertebrates, making it a plausible antimicrobial target. Using a systematic approach, we examined the essentiality of de novo methionine biosynthesis in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, a bacterial pathogen causing significant gastrointestinal and systemic diseases in humans and agricultural animals. Our data demonstrate that Met biosynthesis is essential for S. Typhimurium to ..