Inhibition of penicillin resistance in s. pneumoniae

摘要

The present invention comprises the murM and murN genes expressed from the Streptococcus pneumoniae murMN operon, the murM and murN proteins encoded by the respective genes as well as oligonucleotides to amplify the genes. MurM and MurN are proteins involved in forming a branched muropeptide structure in S. pneumoniae peptidoglycan which is associated with beta-lactam antibiotic resistance in the bacteria. Also provided are methods for identifying inhibitors of MurM or MurN along with methods of treating subjects suffering from a S. pneumoniae infection by administering MurM or MurN inhibitors in conjunction with a beta-lactam antibiotic.