title: Role of autolysins in the activities of imipenem and CGP 31608, a novel penem, against slowly growing bacteria.
abstract: The carbapenem imipenem and the penem CGP 31608 demonstrated unusually good bactericidal activity against slowly growing bacteria. In contrast to that of penicillin, the rate of killing was independent of growth rate. In logarithmically growing cells, a decrease in growth rate was paralleled by a decrease in the relative activity of only one of four autolysins measured (membrane-bound endopeptidase), suggesting that autolysis induced by penicillin G may be rate limited by this enzyme. Imipenem, on the other hand, appeared to trigger different autolysins in Escherichia coli, as evidenced by differences in the structure of peptidoglycan after imipenem- versus penicillin-induced autolysis.
authors.affiliation: CIBA-GEIGY Limited, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cozens
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Markiewicz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tuomanen
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001329:Autolysis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D015378:Imipenem / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007769:Lactams; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000494:pharmacology; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D007769:Lactams; D010457:Peptidoglycan; C052019:CGP 31608; D015378:Imipenem; D010450:Endopeptidases; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase; D010400:Penicillin G