title: Mechanisms of resistance of enterococci to beta-lactam antibiotics.
abstract: Two mechanisms are responsible for resistance of enterococci to beta-lactam antibiotics: alterations of penicillin-binding proteins and production of a beta-lactamase. The latter has been found in a few clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis, whereas the former appears to account for resistance in most strains. A correlation has been established between the amount of a particular penicillin-binding protein which has a low affinity for penicillin and the level of resistance. The higher activity of some penicillins, as compared to cephalosporins, has been related to the relatively higher affinity for these penicillins of the penicillin-binding protein involved in the mechanism of resistance. Alterations in the autolytic enzyme pattern have been associated with the paradoxical response to bactericidal activity of penicillin often exhibited by Enterococcus faecalis clinical isolates.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Microbiologia, Università degli Studi di Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fontana
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Canepari
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Lleò
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Satta
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D047090:beta-Lactams
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D047090:beta-Lactams; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase; D001618:beta-Lactamases