Peptidoglycan structure of Lactobacillus casei, a species highly resistant to glycopeptide antibiotics

The structure of the peptidoglycan of Lactobacillus casei ATCC 393, a species highly resistant to glycopeptide antibiotics,was examined. After digestion, 23 muropeptides were identified; monomers represented 44.7% of all muropeptides, with monomer tetrapeptides being the major ones, Fifty-nine percent of the peptidoglycan was O-acetylated, The cross-bridge between D-alanine and L-lysine consisted of one asparagine, although aspartate could be found in minor quantities. Since UDP-MurNAc-tetrapeptide-D-lactate is the normal cytoplasmic precursor found in this species, monomer tetrapeptide-lactate nias expected to be found, However, such a monomer was found only after exposure to penicillin, suggesting that penicillin-sensitive D,D-carboxypeptidases were very active in normal growing cells.