Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic used in the prophylaxis and treatment of infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria.It is a naturally occurring antibiotic made by the soil bacterium Actinobacteria species Amycolatopsis orientalis. It is a complex chemical compound and an example of a comparatively rare haloorganic natural compound, containing two covalently bonded chlorine atoms.Vancomycin is a branched tricyclic glycosylated nonribosomal peptide produced by the Actinobacteria species Amycolatopsis orientalis (formerly designated Nocardia orientalis). Vancomycin exhibits atropisomerism — it has multiple chemically distinct rotamers owing to the rotational restriction of some of the bonds. The form present in the drug is the thermodynamically more stable conformer[citation needed] and, therefore,[citation needed] has more potent activity.