An electronmicroscope study of glycopeptide antibiotic-resistant strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Ultra-thin section transmission electronmicroscopy revealed that two of three glycopeptide-resistant strains of Staphylococcus epidermidis had abnormally thick cell walls, a finding consistent with the view that the reduction in susceptibility may result from the overproduction of glycopeptide binding sites within the cell-wall peptidoglycan. The third resistant strain had a slightly thickened cell wall with an irregular, roughened outline; this strain also underwent autolysis on prolonged incubation on blood agar and the resistance may be associated with abnormal cell-wall synthesis. Sub-MIC concentrations of vancomycin and teicoplanin caused surface damage to a proportion of cocci able to grow in the presence of antibiotic. Exposure to teicoplanin was additionally associated with the formation of filamentous forms and variable amounts of extracellular material. Transmission electronmicroscopy showed that both antibiotics exerted effects within the bacterial cytoplasm of the resistant strains that were not seen in an NCTC control strain: intracellular lamellae and structures resembling mesosomes were observed in the former. These effects were more noticeable in cocci exposed to vancomycin. Bacteria exposed to teicoplanin often showed abnormal septation and, in some preparations, a double-layered cell wall.