Initial membrane reaction in the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan. Spin-labeled intermediates as receptors for vancomycin and ristocetin.

Phospho-N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide translocase (UDP-MurNAc-Ala-DGlu-Lys-DAla-DAla:undecaprenyl phosphate, phospho-MurNAc-pentapeptide transferase) catalyzes the initial membrane reaction in the biosynthesis of peptidoglycan. The spin-labeled nucleotide, UDP-MurNAc-Ala-DGlu-Lys (Nepsilon-2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-N-oxyl-pyrroline-3-carbonyl)-DAla-DAla, was used as a substrate by this enzyme for the synthesis of membrane-associated undecaprenyl-diphosphate-MurNAc-Ala-DGlu-Lys(Nepsilon-Tempyo)-DAla-DAla. The spin-labeled substrate and product complex with the antibiotics vancomycin and ristocetin. The association constants for the spin-labeled nucleotide are 6.2 times 10(5) and 6.2 times 10(4) M-1 for vancomycin and ristocetin, respectively. The association constants for the spin-labeled lipid intermediate are 3.0 times 10(4) and 2.1 times 10(4) M-1 for vancomycin and ristocetin, respectively. These results indicate that the acyl-DAla termini of membranes-associated spin-labeled undecaprenyl-diphosphate-MurNAc-pentapeptide are accessible to vancomycin and ristocetin and that the association constants are smaller than those determined for the corresponding antibiotic spin-labeled UDP-MurNAc-pentapeptide complexes.