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1: Science. 1994 Oct 21;266(5184):439-43.Click here to read Links

Vancomycin resistance: structure of D-alanine:D-alanine ligase at 2.3 A resolution.

Fan C, Moews PC, Walsh CT, Knox JR.

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-3125.

The molecular structure of the D-alanine:D-alanine ligase of the ddlB gene of Escherichia coli, co-crystallized with an S,R-methylphosphinate and adenosine triphosphate, was determined by x-ray diffraction to a resolution of 2.3 angstroms. A catalytic mechanism for the ligation of two D-alanine substrates is proposed in which a helix dipole and a hydrogen-bonded triad of tyrosine, serine, and glutamic acid assist binding and deprotonation steps. From sequence comparison, it is proposed that a different triad exists in a recently discovered D-alanine:D-lactate ligase (VanA) present in vancomycin-resistant enterococci. A molecular mechanism for the altered specificity of VanA is suggested.

PMID: 7939684 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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