Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Nanomechanics of Drug-target Interactions and Antibacterial Resistance Detection
11:56

Nanomechanics of Drug-target Interactions and Antibacterial Resistance Detection

Published on: October 25, 2013

Vancomycin resistance in gram-positive cocci

Patrice Courvalin1

  • 1Unite des Agents Antibacteriens, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France. pcourval@pasteur.fr

Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America
|December 3, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) emerged in 1988 and have rapidly spread globally. This review covers VRE resistance mechanisms, focusing on the VanA type, and discusses methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
  • Molecular Biology
  • Antimicrobial Resistance

Background:

  • Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) first identified in 1988, rapidly disseminated worldwide.
  • VRE are a significant nosocomial pathogen, prevalent in healthcare settings globally.
  • Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is another critical multidrug-resistant bacterium.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanism of bacterial resistance to glycopeptides, exemplified by VanA type.
  • To discuss the genetic basis (transposon Tn1546) and spread of VanA-mediated resistance in enterococci.
  • To explore the diversity, regulation, evolution, and dissemination of MRSA.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of scientific articles on vancomycin resistance in enterococci and MRSA.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms of glycopeptide resistance, including the VanA system.
  • Examination of epidemiological data on the spread of VRE and MRSA.

Main Results:

  • Vancomycin resistance in enterococci is primarily mediated by the VanA phenotype, encoded by transposon Tn1546.
  • The VanA system alters bacterial cell wall precursors, preventing vancomycin binding and action.
  • MRSA exhibits significant diversity and has evolved complex regulatory mechanisms for its resistance traits.

Conclusions:

  • The rapid global spread of VRE highlights the urgent need to understand resistance mechanisms.
  • The VanA type represents a well-characterized model for glycopeptide resistance in enterococci.
  • Understanding MRSA evolution and dissemination is crucial for controlling its spread in healthcare environments.

More Related Videos

Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes08:58

Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes

Published on: March 3, 2023

Related Concept Videos

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis01:23

Inhibitors of Gram-positive Cell Wall Synthesis

Bacterial cell walls are typically rigid structures composed mainly of peptidoglycan, a mesh-like polymer that provides mechanical strength and maintains cell shape. The synthesis of peptidoglycan is a crucial process in bacterial growth and serves as a primary target for many antibiotics.Mechanism of Action of Beta-Lactam AntibioticsBeta-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin, inhibit peptidoglycan synthesis in actively growing cells. These antibiotics share a characteristic four-membered...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Antibiotic Selection00:57

Antibiotic Selection

Overview
Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis01:25

Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis

Aminoglycosides constitute a highly potent class of bactericidal antibiotics that exert their antimicrobial effects by targeting the bacterial ribosome, specifically disrupting protein synthesis. These polycationic molecules consist of amino-modified sugars linked via glycosidic bonds to an aminocyclitol core such as 2-deoxystreptamine or streptamine. Their strong positive charges facilitate tight binding to the negatively charged phosphate backbone of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), primarily at the 16S...