title: Penicillin-binding proteins in Streptococcus pneumoniae: alterations during development of intrinsic penicillin resistance.
abstract: Four out of the five high molecular weight penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of Streptococcus pneumoniae are involved in the development of intrinsic penicillin resistance. In beta-lactam resistant laboratory mutants, point mutations in the PBP 2x-genes were identified that result in low penicillin-affinity mutant proteins. In contrast, PBPs 1a, 2x, and 2b of resistant clinical isolates are highly altered as can be recognized biochemically and immunologically; DNA sequence analysis of the PBP 2x gene from resistant strains confirmed these results. The variability of the three PBPs analyzed implies a very heterogeneous gene pool accessible to the pneumococcus that is used for recruitment of resistant PBP genes in wild type strains.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institut für molekulare Genetik, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hakenbeck
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Briese
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laible
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schuster
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase; D002439:Cefotaxime