NUCLEOTIDE-SEQUENCE OF THE STRUCTURAL GENE FOR THE PENICILLIN-BINDING PROTEIN-2 OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS-AUREUS AND THE PRESENCE OF A HOMOLOGOUS GENE IN OTHER STAPHYLOCOCCI

The structural gene for penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2) of Staphylococcus aureus was cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence of the 2,458-bp chromosomal fragment was determined, and the 2,148-bp coding region for PBP2 was identified. Determination of ten N-terminal amino acids of the PBP2 protein indicated that N-terminal methionine had been removed from the primary translational product. Thus, PBP2 is comprised of 715 amino acids with a molecular mass of 79,147. Nucleotide sequences having some homology with the PBP2 gene and proteins cross-reactive with anti-PBP2 antibody were detected in some other species of staphylococci by polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis, respectively.