Glycopeptide antibiotic resistance genes in glycopeptide-producing organisms.

ABSTRACT: The mechanism of high-level resistance to vancomycin in enterococci consists of the synthesis of peptidoglycan terminating in D-alanyl-D-lactate instead of the usual D-alanyl-D-alanine. This alternate cell wall biosynthesis pathway is ensured by the collective actions of three enzymes: VanH, VanA, and VanX. The origin of this resistance mechanism is unknown. We have cloned three genes encoding homologs of VanH, VanA, and VanX from two organisms which produce glycopeptide antibiotics: the A47934 producer Streptomyces toyocaensis NRRL 15009 and the vancomycin producer Amycolatopsis orientalis C329.2. The predicted amino acid sequences are highly similar to those found in VRE: 54 to 61% identity for VanH, 59 to 63% identity for VanA, and 61 to 64% identity for VanX. Furthermore, the orientati

SUBMITTER: Marshall CG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC105782 | biostudies-literature | 1998 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature