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Updated: May 30, 2026

Nanomechanics of Drug-target Interactions and Antibacterial Resistance Detection

Nanomechanics of Drug-target Interactions and Antibacterial Resistance Detection

Published on: October 25, 2013

D-Ala-d-Ser VanN-type transferable vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium.

François Lebreton¹, Florence Depardieu, Nancy Bourdon

¹Interactions Hôte et Microorganismes des Epithéliums, EA2128, CHU Côte de Nacre, 14033 Caen Cedex, France.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy

|August 3, 2011

Summary

A novel vanN gene conferring transferable vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium was identified. This d-alanine:d-serine resistance mechanism is constitutively expressed and transferable via conjugation.

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Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli

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Published on: March 24, 2023

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Molecular Biology
Genetics

Background:

Enterococcus faecium is an opportunistic pathogen.
Vancomycin resistance is a growing public health concern.
Existing vancomycin resistance mechanisms include VanA, VanB, VanC, VanD, VanE, VanG, VanL, and VanM.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the mechanism of vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium UCN71.
To characterize the novel vanN gene and its associated resistance mechanism.

Main Methods:

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with degenerate primers.
DNA sequencing.
Thermal asymmetric interlaced (TAIL)-PCR.
Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE)-PCR.
Conjugation assays.

Main Results:

Enterococcus faecium UCN71 exhibited low-level vancomycin resistance.
A novel gene, vanN, was identified and sequenced, showing 65% identity to the VanL ligase.
The vanN gene cluster organization was similar to vanC operons.
Constitutive expression of the vanN operon was observed.
VanN-type resistance was transferable to other E. faecium strains.

Conclusions:

The vanN gene confers transferable d-alanine:d-serine-type vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium.
This is the first report of transferable d-Ala-d-Ser-type resistance in E. faecium.
The discovery of vanN expands the known mechanisms of vancomycin resistance in enterococci.