Regulation of teichoic acid synthesis during phosphate limitation.

Bacillus subtilis W-23, when placed in phosphate-free medium, ceases to synthesize teichoic acid and synthesizes teichuronic acid. The enzymatic basis for the cessation of teichoic acid synthesis is the irreversible inhibition of the first membrane-bound enzyme involved in teichoic acid synthesis which catalyzes the reaction Undecapenol-P + UDP-GlcNAc leads to undecaprenol-P-P-GlcNAc + UMP.