title: Staphylococcal methicillin resistance: fine focus on folds and functions.
abstract: Globalisation has entailed a massive increase in trade and human mobility facilitating the rapid spread of infectious agents, including those that are drug resistant. A particularly serious threat to human health is posed by methicillin-resistant staphylococcal strains which have acquired molecular mechanisms to evade the action of beta-lactam antibiotics (BLAs). Full expression of high-level methicillin resistance involves a complex network of molecules and depends primarily on sufficient expression of a penicillin-binding protein with low sensitivity towards BLAs. Other factors include the fine-tuned regulation of autolytic activity of cell-wall components, as well as an optimal rate of peptidoglycan precursor formation and a highly specific peptidoglycan precursor structure. Three-dimensional structural data are available on several of the pieces involved in the jigsaw puzzle and provide a molecular basis for the understanding of methicillin resistance and for the design of new therapeutic strategies.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Biologia Molecular de Barcelona, Centre d'Investigacio i Desenvolupament CSIC, C/Jordi Girona, 18-26; E-08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Goretti
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mallorquí-Fernández
authors.forename: Aniebrys
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marrero
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García-Piquè
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García-Castellanos
authors.forename: F Xavier
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Gomis-Rüth
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D008958:Models, Molecular; D017510:Protein Folding; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins