title: The involvement of the proteinase of Streptococcus faecium ATCC 9790 in the stimulation of its autolysin activity by dodecylglycerol.
abstract: Treatment of Streptococcus faecium ATCC 9790 with 3.5 micrograms/ml of dodecylglycerol produces a nonwall entity found in the 25,000 X g supernatant cell fraction which activates the autolysin activity of S. faecium. The stimulation of the autolysin activity by dodecylglycerol mimics the activation of the autolysin from a latent to an active form by trypsin and other proteolytic enzymes. This stimulation of autolytic activity by dodecylglycerol can be reversed by specific proteinase inhibitors. Dodecylglycerol also markedly stimulates the proteinase activity endogenous to S. faecium, and this stimulation can be reversed by several proteinase inhibitors. It is concluded that one primary antibacterial mode of action of dodecylglycerol is to stimulate the proteinase of S. faecium which activates the cell's autolysin and thereby prevents bacterial growth.
mesh_terms: D000581:Amidohydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005989:Glycerides / Q000633:toxicity*; D007700:Kinetics; D007848:Laurates / Q000633:toxicity*; D007850:Lauric Acids / Q000633:toxicity*; D050178:Monoglycerides; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000502:physiology; D014108:Tosylphenylalanyl Chloromethyl Ketone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005989:Glycerides; D007848:Laurates; D007850:Lauric Acids; D050178:Monoglycerides; C020777:monolaurin; D014108:Tosylphenylalanyl Chloromethyl Ketone; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D000581:Amidohydrolases; D009238:N-Acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine Amidase