Importance

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Abstract

General compositions and methods for detecting Lipid I, Lipid II and peptidoglycan synthesis is disclosed. A method of screening for potential antibacterial agents is provided which requires bacterial membrane preparations or enriched enzyme preparations including at least one bacterial enzyme involved in the synthesis of Lipid I from UDP-MurNAc pentapeptide and undecaprenyl phosphate, at least one bacterial enzyme involved in the synthesis of Lipid II from Lipid I and UDP-GlcNAc and one or more bacterial enzymes involved in the further processing of Lipid II toward the downstream synthesis of peptidoglycan. The methods disclosed herein further provides a labeled UDP-MurNAc-peptide capable of serving as a substrate for a bacterial enzyme involved in the synthesis of Lipid I and a labeled UDP-GlcNAc capable of serving as a substrate for a bacterial enzyme involved in the synthesis of Lipid II. Conditions for further processing of Lipid II toward the downstream synthesis of peptidoglycan are also discribed.

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First Claim