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Science 17 December 1999:
Vol. 286. no. 5448, p. 2229
DOI: 10.1126/science.286.5448.2229l
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This Week in Science

Expanded usage of antibiotics has led an alarming increase in resistance of bacteria to the currently available store of antibiotics and spurred the search for new classes of antibiotics. Breukink et al. (p. 2361.) have examined the mechanism of action for a promising peptide antibiotic called nisin Z. Nisin is derived from Lactococcus lactis and is a common food preservative. Like vancomycin, nisin Z targets the Lipid II bacterial membrane component. However, unlike vancomycin, nisin Z performs its bactericidal effect by poking holes in the bacteria. Insights into the actions of nisin may assist in developing a new class of highly efficient antibiotics.




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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)