title: Genetic characteristics of vancomycin resistance gene cluster in Enterococcus spp.
abstract: Vancomycin resistant enterococci has become an important nosocomial pathogen since it is discovered in late 1980s. The products, encoded by vancomycin resistant gene cluster in enterococci, catalyze the synthesis of peptidoglycan precursors with low affinity with glycopeptide antibiotics including vancomycin and teicoplanin and lead to resistance. These vancomycin resistant gene clusters are classified into nine types according to their gene sequences and organization, or D-Ala:D-Lac (VanA, VanB, VanD and VanM) and D-Ala:D-Ser (VanC, VanE, VanG, VanL and VanN) ligase gene clusters based on the differences of their encoded ligases. Moreover, these gene clusters are characterized by their different resistance levels and infection models. In this review, we summarize the classification, gene organization and infection model of vancomycin resistant gene cluster in Enterococcus spp.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology of Antibiotics, Ministry of Health, Institute of Antibiotics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Chun-hui
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacology of Antibiotics, Ministry of Health, Institute of Antibiotics, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016908:Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D014640:Vancomycin