Open AccessTargeting of streptococci by zoocin A
Author(s) -
Akesson Maria,
Dufour Muriel,
Sloan Gary L.,
Simmonds Robin S.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2007.00669.x
Subject(s) - peptidoglycan , microbiology and biotechnology , streptococcus pyogenes , streptococcus , streptococcus oralis , streptococcaceae , biology , bacteria , chemistry , enzyme , biochemistry , staphylococcus aureus , antibiotics , genetics
Zoocin A is a domain‐structured peptidoglycan hydrolase produced by Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus 4881. [ 14 C]‐zoocin A was used to measure the amount of zoocin A bound to the surface of cells and to purified peptidoglycan. The sensitivity of various streptococci to zoocin A correlated with the amount of zoocin A bound ( R 2 =0.8609). Peptidoglycan purified from Streptococcus oralis and Streptococcus rattus were able to bind zoocin A but remained resistant to hydrolysis. All Streptococcus pyogenes strains were extremely sensitive to zoocin A with minimum inhibition concentrations of 31.5 ng mL −1 or less, suggesting that zoocin A may have potential for use as an enzybiotic.