Single-molecule force spectroscopy and imaging of the vancomycin/D-Ala-D-Ala interaction.
The clinically important vancomycin antibiotic inhibits the growth of pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus by blocking cell wall synthesis through specific recognition of nascent peptidoglycan terminating in D-Ala-D-Ala. Here, we demonstrate the ability of single-molecule atomic force microscopy with antibiotic-modified tips to measure the specific binding forces of vancomycin and to map individual ligands on living bacteria. The single-molecule approach presented here provides new opportunities for understanding the binding mechanisms of antibiotics and for exploring the architecture of bacterial cell walls.
Gilbert
Yann
Y
Unité de Chimie des Interfaces, Université catholique de Louvain, Croix du Sud 2/18, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Deghorain
Marie
M
Wang
Ling
L
Xu
Bing
B
Pollheimer
Philipp D
PD
Gruber
Hermann J
HJ
Errington
Jeff
J
Hallet
Bernard
B
Haulot
Xavier
X
Verbelen
Claire
C
Hols
Pascal
P
Dufrêne
Yves F
YF
D001665:Binding Sites; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000187:drug effects; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000737:chemistry*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D013294:Lactococcus lactis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008024:Ligands; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D036103:Nanotechnology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology
D004151:Dipeptides; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008024:Ligands; C002956:alanylalanine; D014640:Vancomycin