A new unique biosynthetic pathway for D-Glutamate has been discovered, an important cell wall component in pathogenic bacteria, which could lead to the development of medicines and agricultural chemicals. D-Glu is supplied by an enzyme called Glu racemases. The newly discovered pathway involves two genes which facilitate the binding of L-Glu to UDP-MurNAc-L-Ala and then epimerize (isomerize) L-Glu to D-Glu.