Patent ID: 7354731

Claim:
A method of screening for potential anti-bacterial agents which comprises: (1) providing a membrane preparation obtained from a bacterial strain that is deficient for peptidoglycan transglycosylase activity; (2) preparing a reaction mixture comprising the membrane preparation, a UDP-N-acetylmuramylpentapeptide, radiolabelled UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine and a source of divalent metal ions; (3) incubating the reaction mixture for a defined period under conditions suitable for Lipid II synthesis to occur; (4) adding to the reaction mixture of step (3), (a) a source of peptidoglycan transglycosylase and a source of peptidoglycan transpeptidase, to allow further processing of Lipid II formed in step (3) toward peptidoglycan, and (b) a test compound; (5) after a defined period, terminating any further processing of Lipid II; (6) adding to the reaction mixture of step (5) a fluorescer supported, by in or on a suitable substrate, and a detergent; and (7) measuring light energy emitted by the fluorescer which is indicative of the presence of radiolabelled peptidoglycan, wherein a decrease in light energy emitted by the fluorescer in the presence of the test compound as compared to a control with no compound is indicative that the test compound is a potential anti-bacterial agent.