title: VanE, a new type of acquired glycopeptide resistance in Enterococcus faecalis BM4405.
abstract: Enterococcus faecalis BM4405 was resistant to low levels of vancomycin (MIC, 16 microg/ml) and was susceptible to teicoplanin (MIC, 0.5 microg/ml). No PCR product was obtained when the total DNA of this clinical isolate was used as a template with primers specific for glycopeptide resistance genes vanA, vanB, vanC, and vanD. However, a 604-bp PCR fragment was obtained when V1 and V2 degenerate primers were used and total DNA was digested with HindIII as a template. The product was cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence had greater identity (55%) with VanC than with VanA (45%), VanB (43%), or VanD (44%). This was consistent with the fact that BM4405 synthesized peptidoglycan precursors that terminated in D-serine residues. After induction with vancomycin, weak D,D-dipeptidase and penicillin-insensitive D,D-carboxypeptidase activities were detected in cytoplasmic extracts of BM4405, whereas a serine racemase activity was found in the membrane preparation. This new type of acquired glycopeptide resistance was named VanE.
authors.affiliation: Unité des Agents Antibactériens, Institut Pasteur, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fines
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perichon
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Sahm
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Courvalin
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics; D013293:Enterococcus faecalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010641:Phenotype; D019998:Racemases and Epimerases / Q000378:metabolism; D017334:Teicoplanin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000145:classification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000099300:Serine Racemase
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010457:Peptidoglycan; D019998:Racemases and Epimerases; D017334:Teicoplanin; D014640:Vancomycin; D000099300:Serine Racemase