Open AccessRole of autolysins in the activities of imipenem and CGP 31608, a novel penem, against slowly growing bacteria
Author(s) -
Robert Cozens,
Z Markiewicz,
Elaine Tuomanen
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.33.10.1819
Subject(s) - autolysis (biology) , imipenem , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , penicillin , biology , antibacterial agent , cilastatin , escherichia coli , antibiotics , chemistry , enzyme , biochemistry , antibiotic resistance , genetics , gene
The carbapenem imipenem and the penem CGP 31608 demonstrated unusually good bactericidal activity against slowly growing bacteria. In contrast to that of penicillin, the rate of killing was independent of growth rate. In logarithmically growing cells, a decrease in growth rate was paralleled by a decrease in the relative activity of only one of four autolysins measured (membrane-bound endopeptidase), suggesting that autolysis induced by penicillin G may be rate limited by this enzyme. Imipenem, on the other hand, appeared to trigger different autolysins in Escherichia coli, as evidenced by differences in the structure of peptidoglycan after imipenem- versus penicillin-induced autolysis.