Resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics in the teicoplanin producer is mediated by van gene homologue expression directing the synthesis of a modified cell wall peptidoglycan.

ABSTRACT: Glycopeptide resistance has been studied in detail in enterococci and staphylococci. In these microorganisms, high-level resistance is achieved by replacing the C-terminal D-alanyl-D-alanine of the nascent peptidoglycan with D-alanyl-D-lactate or D-alanyl-D-serine, thus reducing the affinities of glycopeptides for cell wall targets. Reorganization of the cell wall is directed by the expression of the van gene clusters. The identification of van gene homologs in the genomes of several glycopeptide-producing actinomycetes suggests the involvement of a similar self-resistance mechanism to avoid suicide. This report describes a comprehensive study of self-resistance in Actinoplanes teichomyceticus ATCC 31121, the producer of the clinically relevant glycopeptide teicoplanin. A. teichomyceticus

SUBMITTER: Beltrametti F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1855507 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature