Berger-Bächi
Fakultäten » Medizinische Fakultät » Medizinische Mikrobiologie, Institut für » Prof. Dr. Brigitte Berger-Bächi » Berger-Bächi
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Genetic and molecular basis of methicillin and glycopeptide resistance in Staphylococcus aureus | ||||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | Staphylococcus aureus possesses a wide range of virulence factors and has moreover the ability to adapt rapidly to antibiotic use by acquiring resistance. Methicillin resistant staphylococci (MRSA) are feared because they are resistant to all beta-lactam antibiotics and their derivatives. Recently MRSA isolates have emerged with decreased susceptibility to glycopeptides, the last antibiotic of choice against multiresistant MRSA. While methicillin resistance is based on the acqusisition of the mecA gene which codes for a novel, low-affinity penicillin-binding protein, glycopeptide resistance is due to selection of mutants during exposure to glycopeptides during therapy. The cell wall biosynthesis and composition plays an important role in resistance levels to both, beta-lactams and glycopeptides. The studies proposed here apply to both classes of antibiotics, and may result in the identification of novel potential antibacterial targets. We will concentrate on two main topics: a) Characterisation of peptidoglycan pentaglycine-interpeptide formation and analysis of the mode of action of the novel class of FemAB-like proteins which are involved in nonribosomal protein biosynthesis, and are regarded as lethal targets in S. aureus. b) Characterisation of a novel, glycopeptide and ß-lactam-controlled regulator which influences methicillin and glycopeptide resistance. Functional analysis of an associated methionine sulfoxide reductase on S. aureus resistance and virulence. |
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| Publications / Publikationen | McCallum, N. Karauezuem, H., Getzmann, R., Bischoff, M. Majcherczyk, P., Berger-Bächi, B., Landmann, R. In vivo survival of teicoplanin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and cost of teicoplanin resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2006, 50:2352-2360Schneider T., Senn M., Berger-Bächi B., Tossi A.,Sahl H-G., and Wiedemann, I. In vitro assembly of a complete, pentaglycine interpeptide bridge containing cell wall precursor (lipid II-Gly5) of Staphylococcus aureus. Molecular Microbiology 2004, 53:675-685Rohrer, S., and Berger-Bächi B. FemABX peptidyltransferases: a link between branched chain cell wall peptide formation and beta-lactam resistance in Gram-positive cocci. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 2003, 47:837-846 | ||||||
| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | Molecular Medicine, Medical Microbiology, Staphylococcus, resistance, methicillin, glycopeptide, cell wall biosynthesis, regulation | ||||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
SNF (Personen- und Projektförderung) Novartis Stiftung, Bonizzi-Theler Stiftung, Hartmann-Müller Stiftung |
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| In collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Nov 2004 to Oct 2007 |