Title: A proteolytic transmembrane signaling pathway and resistance to beta-lactams in staphylococci. | Journal: Science (New York, N.Y.). 2001 Mar;291(5510):1962-5 | Authors: Zhang HZ, Hackbarth CJ, Chansky KM, Chambers HF. | Abstract: beta-Lactamase and penicillin-binding protein 2a mediate staphylococcal resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, which are otherwise highly clinically effective. Production of these inducible proteins is regulated by a signal-transducing integral membrane protein and a transcriptional repressor. The signal transducer is a fusion protein with penicillin-binding and zinc metalloprotease domains. The signal for protein expression is transmitted by site-specific proteolytic cleavage of both the transducer, which autoactivates, and the repressor, which is inactivated, unblocking gene transcription. Compounds that disrupt this regulatory pathway could restore the activity of beta-lactam antibiotics against drug-resistant strains of staphylococci. | See full PubMed entry: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11239156 |
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