title: A method to assay penicillin-binding proteins.
abstract: Key enzymes that assemble the bacterial cell wall are also the target of the Beta-lactam class of antibiotics. The covalent binding of labeled penicillin to these proteins has been used in numerous studies in drug discovery, antibiotic mechanisms of action and resistance, and cell wall physiology. Methods to label and measure penicillin binding proteins in two prototypical organisms, a Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus), are described. The methods discussed include identifying penicillin-binding proteins in both intact cells (in vivo measurements) and isolated cell membranes.
authors.affiliation: Achillion Pharmaceuticals, New Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Pucci
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Dougherty
mesh_terms: D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000378:metabolism; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D010406:Penicillins / Q000378:metabolism; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins