Inhibition of the binding of penicillin to the pneumococcal penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) by exogenous cell wall peptides |
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Authors: | E Tuomanen S Sande |
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Institution: | Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10021. |
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Abstract: | Incubation of pneumococci with D-alanine-containing peptides naturally occurring in peptidoglycan protected cells against lysis and killing by beta-lactam antibiotics near MIC. Such peptides caused decreased binding of the antibiotic to penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), primarily PBP 2B. This provides direct evidence in vivo for the hypothesis that beta-lactams act as substrate analogues and identifies PBP 2B as a killing target in pneumococci. |
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