Work

The cytoplasmic peptidoglycan precursor of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis terminates in lactate

Year: 1992

Type: article

Abstract: Vancomycin resistance plasmids in enterococci carry the genes vanH and vanA, which encode enzymes catalyzing, respectively, the reduction of 2-keto acids to 2-D-hydroxy acids and the addition of D-hydroxy acids to D-alanine. It has therefore been postulated that resistant cells produce peptidoglycan precursors that terminate in the depsipeptide D-alanine-2-D-hydroxy acid rather than the dipeptide D-alanine-D-alanine, thus preventing vancomycin binding (M. Arthur, C. Molinas, T. D. H. Bugg, G. D. Wright, C. T. Walsh, and P. Courvalin, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 36:867-869, 1992). In the present work, a cytoplasmic peptidoglycan precursor was isolated from vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis and analyzed by mass spectrometry, which suggested the structure UDP-N-acetyl-muramyl-L-Ala-D-Glu-L-Lys-D-Ala-D-lactate.

Source: Journal of Bacteriology

DOI: 10.1128/jb.174.18.5982-5984.1992

Authors: S Handwerger, M J Pucci, K J Volk, J Liu, M S Lee

Institutions: Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Language: English

Topic: Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases