Effect of non-β-lactam antibiotics on penicillin-binding protein synthesis of <i>Enterococcus hirae</i> ATCC 9790

Abstract

Fosfomycin, bacitracin and vancomycin in combination with penicillin exhibit a synergic effect against Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790. This strain, when incubated in presence of the MIC of non-beta-lactam antibiotics, showed an alternated pattern of PBPs. Bacitracin and vancomycin caused a decrease in the density of all PBPs while fosfomycin only reduced that of PBP 6. It is suggested that the observed synergy is a consequence of the inhibition of PBP synthesis by antibiotics which act on the early stages of peptidoglycan synthesis prior to the formation of cross-links.