Increased bile resistance in Salmonella enterica mutants lacking Prc periplasmic protease.

Prc is a periplasmic protease involved in processing of penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3). Lack of Prc suppresses bile sensitivity in Dam-, Wec-, PhoP-, DamX-, and SeqA- mutants of Salmonella enterica, and increases bile resistance in the wild type. Changes in the activity of penicillin binding proteins PBP3, PBP4, PBP5/6 and PBP7 are detected in a Prc- background, suggesting that peptidoglycan remodeling might contribute to bile resistance.