PENICILLIN TOLERANCE AND MODIFICATION OF LIPOTEICHOIC ACID ASSOCIATEDWITH EXPRESSION OF VANCOMYCIN RESISTANCE IN VANB-TYPE ENTEROCOCCUS-FAECIUM D366

Induction of vancomycin resistance in Enterococcusfaecium D366, which exhibits a VanB-type resistance, as well as its constitutive expressio n in MT9, a derivative of D366, was associated with penicillin toleran ce as shown by decreased lysis and killing of the cells. This phenomen on was linked neither to decreased expression of the different autolys ins nor to their decreased lytic activity on the different cell walls. The only change observed was that almost twice the normal amount of D -alanine was attached to the lipoteichoic acid.