Inventors:
Sung Lee - New York NY, US
Vijay Pancholi - Forest Hills NY, US
Vincent A. Fischetti - West Hempstead NY, US
Assignee:
The Rockefeller University - New York NY
International Classification:
C12N 9/48
Abstract:
An endopeptidase is described which shows specificity for cleavage of a LPXTG (SEQ ID NO: 1) motif found in the cell membranes of gram positive bacteria, having an apparent molecular weight of 14,000 daltons, having a pH optimum of about 7. 5 to 10, being salt sensitive, being heavily glycosylated, rich in alanine, lacking aromatic amino acids, having a Kof 0. 26 mM and having a backbone comprised of about 30% unknown amino acids, and containing carbohydrates that are essential for its activity. Methods of use and pharmaceutical compositions of this inhibitor are described.