Glycopeptide antibiotic

Glycopeptide Antibiotics are a class of antibiotics that are characterized by their large, complex structure and their mode of action. They are particularly effective against Gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus species.

History

Glycopeptide antibiotics were first discovered in the 1950s, with vancomycin being the first to be isolated. Since then, several other glycopeptide antibiotics have been discovered, including teicoplanin, bleomycin, and ramoplanin.

Structure and Mechanism of Action

Glycopeptide antibiotics are large molecules that consist of a heptapeptide core, to which various sugars and other groups are attached. The exact structure varies between different antibiotics, but they all share the common feature of a large, complex structure.

The mechanism of action of glycopeptide antibiotics involves binding to the D-alanyl-D-alanine portion of the cell wall precursors of Gram-positive bacteria. This prevents the addition of new units to the peptidoglycan layer of the cell wall, leading to cell lysis and death.

Clinical Use

Glycopeptide antibiotics are used in the treatment of serious infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria, particularly those that are resistant to other antibiotics. They are often used as a last resort when other treatments have failed.

Resistance

Resistance to glycopeptide antibiotics is a growing concern. The most common mechanism of resistance involves the alteration of the D-alanyl-D-alanine target to D-alanyl-D-lactate or D-alanyl-D-serine, which reduces the binding affinity of the antibiotic.

See Also

• Antibiotic resistance
• Gram-positive bacteria
• Vancomycin
• Teicoplanin

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