Structural modification of Escherichia coli peptidoglycan induced by bicyclomycin

We have studied the modification of Escherichia coli peptidoglycan induced by bicyclomycin. For this purpose liquid chromatography for peptidoglycan analysis has been used. The main alteration found was an increase of diaminopimelyl-diaminopimelyl bridge containing subunits. Our results show that bicyclomycin impairs the normal breakage of that interpeptidic bond, whose cleavage is needed for the normal remodeling of peptidoglycan and cell growth. Based on the analysis of the possible structure of diaminopimelyl-diaminopimelyl bond and bicyclomycin, we propose a hypothesis on the mechanism of action of bicyclomycin.