Antimicrobial · Cyclic polypeptide
Bacitracin A
Also known as Bacitracin
A cyclic peptide mixture that inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis and also functions as a broad-spectrum protease inhibitor in biochemical assays.
- Length
- 12 amino acids
- Half-life
- Not well characterised
- Mechanism
- It inhibits bacterial cell wall synthesis by interfering with the dephosphorylation of C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate, a lipid carrier molecule.
- Studied in
- It is used in microbiology as a selective agent, particularly for differentiating streptococcal species, and as a general protease inhibitor in biochemistry.
About Bacitracin A
Bacitracin is a mixture of related cyclic polypeptides produced by Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis. The major component is Bacitracin A, a dodecapeptide containing several D-amino acids and a thiazoline ring structure. Bacitracin is a reference compound with a clinical history.
Its primary antimicrobial mechanism involves forming a complex with a metal ion (like Zn2+) and binding to C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate. This sequestration prevents the lipid carrier from being recycled, thereby halting peptidoglycan synthesis. Separately, bacitracin is also known to inhibit protein disulfide isomerase and other proteases, giving it utility in protein biochemistry applications.
Laboratory notes
- Bacitracin activity is dependent on the presence of divalent cations like zinc (Zn2+) or magnesium (Mg2+).
- Often used as a protease inhibitor in cell lysis buffers to protect proteins from degradation.
- Commercial bacitracin is a mixture of several compounds; purity and composition can be verified by HPLC.
Storage and reconstitution basics: storage guide.
Questions about Bacitracin A
What is the mechanism of Bacitracin's antimicrobial action?
It blocks the dephosphorylation of the lipid carrier C55-isoprenyl pyrophosphate, which is essential for transporting building blocks for the bacterial cell wall.
Does Bacitracin have uses outside of antimicrobial research?
Yes, it is frequently used in biochemistry as a non-specific protease inhibitor to prevent protein degradation during extraction and purification procedures.
Why is zinc sometimes added to bacitracin solutions?
The formation of a bacitracin-Zn2+ complex is critical for its ability to bind its target, isoprenyl pyrophosphate, and exert its inhibitory effect on cell wall synthesis.
Is Bacitracin A for human use?
No. It is supplied strictly for in-vitro laboratory research and is not for human or animal consumption.
Related research peptides
All products are sold for laboratory research use only. Not for human consumption, not a medicine, not for diagnosing, treating or preventing any condition.