Peptidoglycan Cross-Linking Preferences of Staphylococcus aureus Penicillin-Binding Proteins Have Implications for Treating MRSA Infections.

ABSTRACT: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections are a global public health problem. MRSA strains have acquired a non-native penicillin-binding protein called PBP2a that cross-links peptidoglycan when the native S. aureus PBPs are inhibited by β-lactams. It has been proposed that the native S. aureus PBPs can use cell wall precursors having different glycine branch lengths (penta-, tri-, or monoglycine), while PBP2a can only cross-link peptidoglycan strands bearing a complete pentaglycine branch. This hypothesis has never been tested because the necessary substrates have not been available. Here, we compared the ability of PBP2a and two native S. aureus transpeptidases to cross-link peptidoglycan strands bearing different glycine branches. We show that purified PBP2a can cross

SUBMITTER: Srisuknimit V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5613940 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature