Transcriptional induction of the penicillin-binding protein 2 gene in Staphylococcus aureus by cell wall-active antibiotics oxacillin and vancomycin.

ABSTRACT: We found an increased abundance of pbpB-specific transcripts in vancomycin intermediate-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) isolates compared with that found in paired, genetically identical, susceptible isolates. This difference in expression cannot be explained by differences in the pbpB promoter sequence. Since the factors controlling pbpB gene expression have remained largely unexplored, various conditions that might affect pbpB transcript abundance were examined. In both vancomycin-susceptible and VISA strains, pbpB expression varied with the growth phase, with the highest abundance of pbpB-specific transcripts detected during mid-log phase. Interestingly, both vancomycin and oxacillin were able to induce pbpB transcription above a constitutive level. When vancomycin was absent, on

SUBMITTER: Boyle-Vavra S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC149319 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature