Sandbox 128

Introduction Peptidoglycan transpeptidase (TP) also known as penicillin-binding proteins (PBP), are essential for bacterial cell wall synthesis and catalyze the cross-linking of peptidoglycan polymers during bacterial wall synthesis.Beta-lactam antibiotic, which includes the penicillins,cephalosporins,carbapenems, and the monobactam aztreonam (Figure 1), bind and irreversibly inhibit the active site of TP. The overuse and misuse of b-lactam antibiotics has led to strains of Staphylococcus aureus (S.aureus) that are resistant to all currently available b-lactams and are often susceptible to so-called "last resort antibiotics", such as vancomycin.

Bacterial Cell Wall Structure The bacterial cell wall is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of bacteria and protects bacteria from osmotic stress and toxic compound. The cell wall is composed of peptidoglycan (Figure 2), and in Gram positive bacterial species (e.g. S. aureus) is many layers thick, while in Gram negative bacterial species (e.g. Escherichia coli) is only a few layers thick. The difference in the number of peptidoglycan layers accounts for the differential staining of these two groups of organisms. Peptidoglycan consists of a carbohydrate portion: alternating residues of N-acetylmuramic Acid (NAM) and N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) that polymerize to form long chains, and a protein portion: a pentapeptide chain that terminates with to D-alanines (D-Ala) residues. The pentapeptide chains are covalently bound to each NAM residue. Rows of peptidoglycan are cross-linked together with pentaglycine chains to form a "mesh-like" structure. This cross-linking reaction is catalyzed by TPs.