title: The streptococcolytic enzyme zoocin A is a penicillin-binding protein.
abstract: Zoocin A is a streptococcolytic enzyme produced by Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus 4881 that has an unknown site of action on the peptidoglycans of susceptible organisms. Analysis of a mutant strain in which the genes for zoocin A and resistance to zoocin A were inactivated revealed that this strain was more susceptible to beta-lactam antibiotics than the parental organism. Purified zoocin A had weak beta-lactamase activity, bound radioactive penicillin covalently, and its streptococcolytic activity was inhibited by penicillin. Thus, zoocin A is a penicillin-binding protein and presumably is a D-alanyl endopeptidase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama, Box 870334, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0334, USA.
authors.forename: Lucie S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.forename: Harry E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Heath
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.forename: S Rochelle
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Smithberg
authors.forename: Muriel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.forename: Robin S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Simmonds
authors.forename: Gary L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Sloan
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010450:Endopeptidases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D018502:Streptococcus equi / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D018440:beta-Lactam Resistance; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D047090:beta-Lactams / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C106076:ZooA protein, Streptococcus equi; D047090:beta-Lactams; D010450:Endopeptidases; D001618:beta-Lactamases