Vancomycin binds to bacterial cell-wall intermediates to achieve its antibiotic 
effect. Infections of vancomycin-resistant enterococci are, however, becoming an 
increasing problem; the bacteria are resistant because they synthesize different 
cell-wall intermediates. The enzymes involved in cell-wall biosynthesis, 
therefore, are potential targets for combating this resistance. Recent 
biochemical and crystallographic results are providing mechanistic and 
structural details about some of these targets.