Divergent Effects of Peptidoglycan Carboxypeptidase DacA on Intrinsic β-Lactam and Vancomycin Resistance
Si Hyoung Park, Umji Choi, Su-Hyun Ryu, Han Byeol Lee, Jin‐Won Lee, Chang‐Ro Lee
Abstract
Bacterial PG hydrolases play important roles in various aspects of bacterial physiology, including cytokinesis, PG synthesis, quality control of PG, PG recycling, and stress adaptation. Of all the PG hydrolases, the role of PG carboxypeptidases is poorly understood, especially regarding their impacts on antibiotic resistance. We have revealed two distinct functions of PG carboxypeptidase DacA with respect to antibiotic resistance. The deletion of DacA led to sensitivity to most β-lactams, while it caused strong resistance to vancomycin. Our study provides novel insights into the roles of PG carboxypeptidases in the regulation of antibiotic resistance and a potential clue for the development of a drug to improve the clinical efficacy of β-lactam antibiotics.