Bacitracin is a dodecapeptide antibiotic produced by Bacillus sp. The antibacterial activity depends upon the peptide binding a divalent metal. Hitherto, the exact coordination of the cation has not been established. In particular the role played by the sulphur and nitrogen atoms of the thiazoline ring of bacitracin A has not been clear. Here the coordination of Zn2+ by bacitracin A has been st...

Bacitracin susceptibility was evaluated as a laboratory method to differentiate staphylococci from micrococci. A total of 317 staphylococcal isolates and 108 micrococcal isolates were each tested for susceptibility to bacitracin by a disk-diffusion method using disks of three different potencies (0.04, 2.0, and 10.0 U) and a broth dilution method to obtain MICs. When a growth inhibition zone di...

The Bacillus subtilis yts, yxd and yvc gene clusters encode a putative ABC transporter and a functionally coupled two-component system. When tested for their sensitivity towards a series of antibiotics, null yts mutants were found to be sensitive to bacitracin. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments demonstrated that the presence of bacitracin in the growth medium strongly stimul...

Bacitracin and the polymyxins are polypeptide antibiotics. They are relatively toxic drugs and have had only limited use in chemotherapy until recently. Vancomycin, a glycopeptide, although not without side effects, is widely used.Teicoplanin is a new glycopeptide antibiotic that may be beneficial against certain infections caused by gram-positive organisms. The mechanisms of action of this gro...

Penicillin-streptomycin, bacitracin methylene disalicylate, zinc bacitracinm, soluble bacitracin methylene disalicylate, streptomycin (25%) and spectinomycin were used as prophylactic and therapeutic treatments for ulcerative enteritis in bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus). Penicillin-streptomycin was the most effective prophylactic and streptomycin (25%) was the most effective therapeutic ag...

E"citracin is an antibacterial substance discovered by Johnson, Anker, and Meleney (1945) in culture filtrates of the so-called Tracy strain of Bacillus subtilis. The toxicity of the drug and its absorption and excretion in dogs have been described by Scudi and his coworkers (Scudi and Antopol, 1947; Scudi, Clift, and Krueger, 1947). The blood levels obtained after the intramuscular administrat...

An outbreak of infections due to vancomycin-resistant Enterococcusfaecium (VREF) was recently observed in a hospital in Southern California. Several patients developed fatal bacteremia or intraabdominal infection due to VREF. The gastrointestinal tract is the principal site of colonization of VREF, and prior colonization with resistant bacteria often preceded the development of life-threatening...