Biosynthesis of modified peptidoglycan precursors by vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium

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Abstract
In the presence of bacitracin, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (vanA phenotype) accumulate UDP-N-acetylmuramyl(UDP-MurNAc)-tetrapeptide and a UDP-MurNAc-depsipentapeptide containing lactate substituted for the carboxy-terminal-d-alanine residue. In an in vitro peptidoglycan polymerization assay, the modified precursors function and confer resistance to vancomycin.