Glucose Gram-positive bacteria

More than 500 different representatives of the macrolide antibiotics are known, most of which are biologically active against Gram-positive bacteria, displaying a relatively low toxicity. Clinically used are erythromycin, oleandomycin, carbomycin and leucomycin (O Fig. 5). They act as inhibitors of the bacterial protein biosynthesis by binding to the 50S-ribosomal subunit. The synthesis of the two clinically important 16-membered ring macrolide antibiotics leucomycin A3 and carbomycin B could be started from D-glucose, which was chosen because it contained three of the required stereocenters [40]. 

The potential to use bioactive fibers with selective mzymatic propaties through grafting or covalent attachment of the enzyme on the surfece of fibrous materials has been attempted. Immobilization of alpha-amylase (61) and glucose oxidase (62) have been reported on a variety of fiibrics. Edwards et al. (63) have recmtly cempared the antimicrobial activity of glycine-linked lysozyme on cotton cellulose fabrics (Fig. 7). The aizyme-cellulose conjugates were shown be more effective in the lysis of gram-positive bacteria than freely soluble lysozyme. 

The cell walls and membranes of most gram-positive bacteria contain a series of highly anionic polymers. Most important among these is teichoic add, which is a polymer of glucose 1-phosphate or ribitol phosphate. Membrane teichoic acids are based on glucose 1-phosphate and a proportion may be linked to glycolipids to give lipoteichoic acids. The details of these structures and the amount of substitution of the teichoic acids vary with bacterial species. 

Bacillus sp. These bacteria are gram-positive soil microbes. Members of the Bacillus species supply 58% of iadustrial enzymes sold (19). Eor example, proteases from B. amjloliquefaciens and amylases from B. licheniformis glucose isomerase from B. coagulans are used ia a variety of iadustrial processes (see Enzyme applications-industrial). The proteiaaceous iaclusioas produced by B. thuringiensis are useful as iasect toxias. Thus exteasive fermentation technology has been developed for Bacillus species and low cost media are available (19). 

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