Vancomycin resistance in enterococci: reprogramming of the D-ala-D-Ala ligases in bacterial peptidoglycan biosynthesis.
Vancomycin binds to bacterial cell-wall intermediates to achieve its antibiotic effect. Infections of vancomycin-resistant enterococci are, however, becoming an increasing problem; the bacteria are resistant because they synthesize different cell-wall intermediates. The enzymes involved in cell-wall biosynthesis, therefore, are potential targets for combating this resistance. Recent biochemical and crystallographic results are providing mechanistic and structural details about some of these targets.
Healy
V L
VL
Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Lessard
I A
IA
Roper
D I
DI
Knox
J R
JR
Walsh
C T
CT
D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010453:Peptide Synthases / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010457:Peptidoglycan / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
D010457:Peptidoglycan; D014640:Vancomycin; D010453:Peptide Synthases; C019638:D-alanylalanine synthetase