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Site-directed mutagenesis of CphA indicated that prolines in the P158-P172 loop are essential for the stability and the catalytic activity of subclass B2 metallo-β-lactamases against carbapenems. The sequential substitution of proline led to a decrease of the catalytic efficiency of the variant compared to the wild-type (WT) enzyme but also to a higher affinity for the binding of the second zinc ion.

We report the first enzymatic synthesis of D-tagatose-1-phosphate (Tag-1P) by the multicomponent phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PEP-PTS) present in tagatose-grown cells of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Physicochemical characterization by (31)P and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy reveals that, in solution, this derivative is primarily in the pyranose form. Tag-1P was used to characterize the putative tagatose-1-phosphate kinase (TagK) of the Bacillus licheniformis PTS-mediated D-tagatose catabolic pathway (Bli-TagP). For this purpose, a soluble protein fusion was obtained with the 6 His-tagged trigger factor (TF(His6)) of Escherichia coli. The active fusion enzyme was named TagK-TF(His6). Tag-1P and D-fructose-1-phosphate are substrates for the TagK-TF(His6) enzyme, whereas the isomeric derivatives D-tagatose-6-phosphate and D-fructose-6-phosphate are inhibitors. Studies of catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) reveal that the enzyme specificity is markedly in favor of Tag-1P as the substrate. Importantly, we show in vivo that the transfer of the phosphate moiety from PEP to the B. licheniformis tagatose-specific Enzyme II in E. coli is inefficient. The capability of the PTS general cytoplasmic components of B. subtilis, HPr and Enzyme I to restore the phosphate transfer is demonstrated.

Mycobacteria are important causes of infectious diseases. Although Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae, two slow-growing species, are responsible for the most serious diseases, some fast-growing species, such as Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium kansasii, Mycobacterium chelonae, and Mycobacterium fortuitum, may cause opportunistic infections among AIDS patients (24). In addition, M. fortuitum has been reported to be responsible for a wide spectrum of clinical diseases, such as skin or soft tissue infections following surgery, pulmonary infections, accidental penetrating trauma, and wounds that come in contact with soil or water contaminated with these mycobacteria, though nosocomial infections are by far the most common (41, 44). The cell wall of mycobacteria contains mycolic acid, arabinogalactan, and peptidoglycan, forming a covalent complex. The influx of small hydrophilic agents through the resulting low-permeability envelope is extremely slow and is thought to be one of the major factors involved in the resistance of mycobacteria to β-lactam antibiotics (21, 41). β-Lactamase production, catalyzing β-lactam antibiotic hydrolysis, appears to be the second mechanism by which mycobacteria express β-lactam resistance (9, 21, 35). Chromosomally encoded β-lactamases have been detected in most, but not all, mycobacterial species, including M. fortuitum and M. tuberculosis (43). The class A β-lactamase of M. fortuitum (MFO) is a chromosomally encoded broad-spectrum β-lactamase hydrolyzing both cephalosporins and penicillins. Its substrate profile includes ureidopenicillins (piperacillin, azlocillin, and mezlocillin), carbenicillin, cephalothin, cefotaxime, and cefuroxime, but not ceftazidime. Cefoxitin, dicloxacillin, imipenem, and aztreonam are poorly recognized by the enzyme, and the protein is inhibited by the penem inhibitor BRL42715 and, to a lesser extent, clavulanic acid. The specificity profile is similar overall to those of CTX-M-type enzymes; some TEM-derived extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs); the chromosomally encoded ESBLs from Citrobacter sedlakii and Yersinia enterocolitica; and β-lactamases identified in the genera Nocardia, Kluyvera, and Burkholderia (1, 12, 31, 33, 35, 37). At the amino-acid level, the mature protein shares 70% identity with the β-lactamase of Mycobacterium smegmatis and between 40 and 45% with the aforementioned proteins. MFO also shares 41% amino acid identity with the ESBL Toho-1. Many recent studies have been concerned with the structure solution of TEM, SHV, or CTX-M-type ESBLs, but few structural data are available on chromosomally encoded broad-spectrum class A β-lactamases. MFO is the first solved structure of a mycobacterial β-lactamase. Its structure-activity relationship was analyzed on the basis of a comparison between its structure and recently solved ESBL structures (5, 27, 29, 38).

Poly[2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate] (PTBAEMA) belongs to a novel class of water-insoluble biocides. Dispersion of a poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-poly[2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate] diblock copolymer (PEB-b-PTBAEMA) within low-density polyethylene (LDPE) imparts antimicrobial properties to the polyolefin as assessed by the viable cell counting method against Escherichia coli (E. coli). This diblock copolymer has been synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with a poly(ethylene-co-butylene) (PEB) oligomer end-capped by an activated bromide as a macroinitiator for the polymerization of 2-(tert-butylamino)ethyl methacrylate (TBAEMA). Morphological changes of E. coli bacteria in contact with modified LDPE have been observed by transmission and scanning electron microscopy and indicate that the diblock copolymer is bactericide rather than bacteriostatic. Finally, the action mode of the PEB-b-PTBAEMA copolymer more likely relies on the displacement of the Ca(2+) and/or Mg(2+) ions of the outer membrane of the bacteria, which is disorganized and finally disrupted.

The heterologous production in Escherichia coli , the purification, and the kinetic characterization of four plasmid-encoded class C β-lactamases (ACT-1, MIR-1, CMY-2, and CMY-1) were performed. Except for their instability, these enzymes are very similar to the known chromosomally encoded AmpC β-lactamases. Their kinetic parameters did not show major differences from those obtained for the corresponding chromosomal enzymes. However, the K m values of CMY-2 for cefuroxime, cefotaxime, and oxacillin were significantly decreased compared to those of the chromosomal AmpC enzymes. Finally, the susceptibility patterns of different E. coli hosts producing a plasmid- or a chromosome-encoded class C enzyme toward β-lactam antibiotics are mainly due to the overproduction of the β-lactamase in the periplasmic space of the bacteria rather than to a specific catalytic profile of the plasmid-encoded β-lactamases.

Among class B beta-lactamases, the subclass B2 CphA enzyme is characterized by a unique specificity profile. CphA efficiently hydrolyzes only carbapenems. In this work, we generated site-directed mutants that possess a strongly broadened activity spectrum when compared with the WT CphA. Strikingly, the N116H/N220G double mutant exhibits a substrate profile close to that observed for the broad spectrum subclass B1 enzymes. The double mutant is significantly activated by the binding of a second zinc ion under conditions where the WT enzyme is non-competitively inhibited by the same ion.

Efficient antibacterial surfactants have been prepared by the quaternization of the amino groups of poly(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate] (PEB-b-PDMAEMA) diblock copolymers by octyl bromide. The diblock copolymers have been synthesized by ATRP of 2-(dimethylamino)ethylmethacrylate (DMAEMA) initiated by an activated bromide-end-capped poly(ethylene-co-butylene). In the presence of CuBr, 1,4,7,10,10-hexamethyl-triethylenetetramine (HMTETA), and toluene at 50 °C, the initiation is slow in comparison with propagation. This situation has been improved by the substitution of CuCl for CuBr, all the other conditions being the same. Finally, the addition of an excess of CuCl2 (deactivator) to the CuCl/HMTETA catalyst is very beneficial in making the agreement between the theoretical and experimental number-average molecular weights excellent. The antibacterial activity of PEB-b-PDMAEMA quaternized by octyl bromide has been assessed against bacteria and is comparable to the activity of a commonly used disinfectant, that is, benzalkonium chloride. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1214-1224, 2006

One strategy developed by bacteria to resist the action of beta-lactam antibiotics is the expression of metallo-beta-lactamases. CphA from Aeromonas hydrophila is a member of a clinically important subclass of metallo-beta-lactamases that have only one zinc ion in their active site and for which no structure is available. The crystal structures of wild-type CphA and its N220G mutant show the structural features of the active site of this enzyme, which is modeled specifically for carbapenem hydrolysis. The structure of CphA after reaction with a carbapenem substrate, biapenem, reveals that the enzyme traps a reaction intermediate in the active site. These three X-ray structures have allowed us to propose how the enzyme recognizes carbapenems and suggest a mechanistic pathway for hydrolysis of the beta-lactam. This will be relevant for the design of metallo-beta-lactamase inhibitors as well as of antibiotics that escape their hydrolytic activity.

Novel copolymer brushes have been synthesized by a two-step "grafting from" method that consists of the electrografting of poly(2-phenyl-2-(2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidin-1-yloxy)-ethylacrylate) onto stainless steel, followed by the nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization of 2-(dimethylamino ethyl)acrylate and styrene or n-butyl acrylate, initiated from the electrografted polyacrylate chains. The grafted copolymers were quaternized in order to endow them with antibacterial properties. Peeling tests have confirmed the strong adhesion of the grafted copolymer onto the stainless steel substrate. Quartz crystal microbalance experiments have proven that fibrinogen adhesion is lower on the hydrophilic quaternized films compared to the nonionic counterpart. Such quaternized copolymers exhibit significant antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus and the Gram-negative bacteria E. coli.

The subclass B3 FEZ-1 beta-lactamase produced by Fluoribacter (Legionella) gormanii is a Zn(II)-containing enzyme that hydrolyzes the beta-lactam bond in penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems. FEZ-1 has been extensively studied using kinetic, computational modeling and x-ray crystallography. In an effort to probe residues potentially involved in substrate binding and zinc binding, five site-directed mutants of FEZ-1 (H121A, Y156A, S221A, N225A, and Y228A) were prepared and characterized using metal analyses and steady state kinetics. The activity of H121A is dependent on zinc ion concentration. The H121A monozinc form is less active than the dizinc form, which exhibits an activity similar to that of the wild type enzyme. Tyr156 is not essential for binding and hydrolysis of the substrate. Substitution of residues Ser221 and Asn225 modifies the substrate profile by selectively decreasing the activity against carbapenems. The Y228A mutant is inhibited by the product formed upon hydrolysis of cephalosporins. A covalent bond between the side chain of Cys200 and the hydrolyzed cephalosporins leads to the formation of an inactive and stable complex.

A method was developed for the determination of the stoichiometric Zn/protein ratio for the Aeromonas hydrophila metallo beta-lactamase AE036. Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was used to separate free Zn ions from the Zn bound to the metalloprotein, the only Zn-species which is biochemically relevant. An inductively coupled plasma-sector field-mass spectrometer (ICP-SF-MS), operated at a mass resolution of 3000, was used as an element-specific detector. If the primary structure of the protein and thus the number of sulfur-containing amino acids is known, as is the case for Aeromonas hydrophila Zn beta-lactamase, monitoring of both Zn and S with ICP-SF-MS permits the Zn/protein ratio to be determined. The method was optimised in order to obtain short migration times (less than 10 min) for the metallo beta-lactamase and for standards with bare fused silica capillaries. After optimisation, a 75 mmol L−1 bis-Tris background electrolyte buffered at a pH of 6.75 was used for the separation, a voltage of 30 kV was applied over a capillary with a total length of approximately 70 cm and the sample was introduced hydrodynamically at 1000 mbar s. Quantitative results (stoichiometric Zn/protein ratio of 1 and 2, before and after saturation of the enzyme with Zn, respectively) were obtained using external calibration with albumin as a S standard and ZnCl2 as a Zn standard. The method was also demonstrated to be precise with < 5% RSD on the Zn/protein ratio for n = 3. An absolute limit of detection of 8 ng of A. hydrophila Zn beta-lactamase (calculated on the basis of sulfur) was obtained under these conditions.

4-(Alkylamino)carbonyl-1-(alkoxy)carbonyl-2-azetidinones (9-11) have been prepared in five steps from 4-(benzyloxy)carbonyl-1-(t-butyldimethyl)silyl-2-azetidinone (1). The beta-lactam reactivity of 9 has been established by 1H NMR experiment. Compound 11 was a good reversible inhibitor of PPE and HLE. Based on theoretical design, series of 2-azetidinones (12-17) and 4-(alkoxy)carbonyl-2-azetidinones (18-21) bearing various carbonyl (ester, thiolester, amide) and thiocarbonyl (thioamide) functionalities at position N1 were similarly prepared. In the absence of C4-substituent, the compounds were inactive against elastases. On the other hand, 4-(benzyloxy)carbonyl-1-(ethylthioxy)carbonyl-2-azetidinone (19) and 4-(benzyloxy)carbonyl-1-(benzylamino)thiocarbonyl-2-azetidinone (21) were both good reversible inhibitors, but acting most probably via different mechanisms (enzymic processing of the exocyclic ester function or beta-lactam ring opening).

The crystallographic structure of the class A beta-lactamase Toho-1, an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase with potent activity against expanded-spectrum cephems, has been determined at 1.65 A resolution. The result reveals that the Lys73 side chain can adopt two alternative conformations. The predominant conformation of Lys73 is different from that observed in the E166A mutant, indicating that removal of the Glu166 side chain changes the conformation of the Lys73 side chain and thus the interaction between Lys73 and Glu166. The Lys73 side chain would play an important role in proton relay, switching its conformation from one to the other depending on the circumstances. The electron density map also implies possible rotation of Ser237. Comparison of the Toho-1 structure with the structure of other class A beta-lactamases shows that the hydroxyl group of Ser237 is likely to rotate through interaction with the carboxyl group of the substrate. Another peculiarity is the existence of three sulfate ions positioned in or near the substrate-binding cavity. One of these sulfate ions is tightly bound to the active center, while the other two are held by a region of positive charge formed by two arginine residues, Arg274 and Arg276. This positively charged region is speculated to represent a pseudo-binding site of the beta-lactam antibiotics, presumably catching the methoxyimino group of the third-generation cephems prior to proper binding in the substrate-binding cleft for hydrolysis. This high-resolution structure, together with detailed kinetic analysis of Toho-1, provides a new hypothesis for the catalytic mechanism and substrate specificity of Toho-1.

Surveys of β-lactamases in different parts of the world show an important increase in class C β-lactamases, thus the study of these enzymes is becoming an important issue. We created an overproduction system for Mox-1, a plasmid class C β-lactamase, by cloning the gene encoding this enzyme, and placing it under the control of a T7 promoter, using vector pET 28a. The enzyme, purified by ion exchange chromatography, was used to obtain the molecular mass (38 246), the N-terminal sequence (GEASPVDPLRPVV), and p I (8.9), and to perform a detailed kinetic study. Cephalotin was used as reporter substrate in the case of poor substrates. The kinetic study showed that benzylpenicillin, cephalotin, cefcapene and moxalactam were good substrates for Mox-1 ( k cat / K m values >2.5 ×10 6 M −1 s −1 ). On the other hand, ceftazidime and cefepime were poor substrates for this enzyme ( K m values >200 μM). Clavulanic acid had no inhibitory effect on Mox-1 ( K m =30.2 mM), however aztreonam behaved as an inhibitor of Mox-1 ( K i =2.85 μM).

The role of the mobile loop comprising residues 60-66 in metallo-beta-lactamases has been studied by site-directed mutagenesis, determination of kinetic parameters for six substrates and two inhibitors, pre-steady-state characterization of the interaction with chromogenic nitrocefin, and molecular modeling. The W64A mutation was performed in IMP-1 and BcII (after replacement of the BcII 60-66 peptide by that of IMP-1) and always resulted in increased K(i) and K(m) and decreased k(cat)/K(m) values, an effect reinforced by complete deletion of the loop. k(cat) values were, by contrast, much more diversely affected, indicating that the loop does not systematically favor the best relative positioning of substrate and enzyme catalytic groups. The hydrophobic nature of the ligand is also crucial to strong interactions with the loop, since imipenem was almost insensitive to loop modifications.

We have investigated the influence of substrate binding on the zinc ion affinity of representatives from the three metallo-β-lactamase subclasses, B1 (BcII from Bacillus cereus and BlaB from Chryseobacterium meningosepticum), B2 (CphA from Aeromonas hydrophila), and B3 (L1 from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia). By competition experiments with metal-free apoenzymes and chromophoric zinc chelators or EDTA, we determined the dissociation constants in the absence and presence of substrates. For the formation of the monozinc enzymes we determined constants of 1.8, 5.1, 0.007, and 2.6 nm in the absence and 13.6, 1.8, 1.2, and 5.7 pm in the presence of substrates for BcII, BlaB, CphA, and L1, respectively. A second zinc ion binds in the absence (presence) of substrates with considerably higher dissociation constants, namely 1.8 (0.8), 0.007 (0.025), 50 (1.9), and 0.006 (0.12) μm for BcII, BlaB, CphA, and L1, respectively. We have concluded that the apo form might be the prevailing state of most of the metallo-β-lactamases under physiological conditions in the absence of substrates. Substrate availability induces a spontaneous self-activation due to a drastic decrease of the dissociation constants, resulting in the formation of active mononuclear enzymes already at picomolar free zinc ion concentrations. In the presence of substrates, the binuclear state of the enzymes only exists at unphysiologic high zinc concentrations and might be of no biological relevance. From the competition experiments with EDTA it is further concluded that the reactivation rate does not depend on the pool of free zinc ions but proceeds via the EDTA-Zn(II)-enzyme ternary complexes.

Metallo-β-lactamases are emerging resistance determinants among gram-negative pathogens (15-17, 20). They can contribute to the intrinsic β-lactam resistance of some species that carry resident metallo-β-lactamase genes (e.g., Bacillus cereus, a cluster of Bacteroides fragilis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, some Aeromonas spp., Chryseobacterium meningosepticum, Chryseobacterium indologenes, and Legionella gormanii) and to acquired β-lactam resistance in Enterobacteriaceae, pseudomonads, and other nonfastidious gram-negative nonfermenters following acquisition of metallo-β-lactamase determinants carried by mobile genetic elements (3). Metallo-β-lactamases are included in molecular class B and in group 3 of the functional classification (5). Remarkable structural and functional heterogeneities exist among these enzymes. Structural analysis identified three major molecular lineages, subclasses B1, B2, and B3, with a degree of sequence divergence that can be higher than 90% between members of different subclasses (14, 19). Functional analysis revealed variable substrate specificities and heterogeneous kinetic behaviors and identified three different subgroups, determined to be 3a (showing a broad substrate specificity), 3b (acting as specific carbapenemases), and 3c (overall preferring cephalosporin substrates) (22). However, a constant feature of metallo-β-lactamases that contributes to their clinical relevance is the ability to efficiently hydrolyze carbapenem compounds, which are not hydrolyzed by the majority of active-site serine β-lactamases (4). Although some of these enzymes have been subjected to detailed biochemical (2, 11-13, 19) and structural analysis (6, 7, 8, 9), the catalytic mechanism(s), interaction with metal, and structure-function relationships are only partially understood. Additional biochemical and structural analyses are essential to the understanding of these aspects and are also strategic to the development of new metallo-β-lactamase inhibitors. In this work we developed a system for overproduction and purification of the BlaB metallo-β-lactamase of C. meningosepticum, and we carried out a biochemical characterization of the enzyme.

The metallo-beta-lactamase BcII from Bacillus cereus 569/H/9 possesses a binuclear zinc centre. The mono-zinc form of the enzyme displays an appreciably high activity, although full efficiency is observed for the di-zinc enzyme. In an attempt to assign the involvement of the different zinc ligands in the catalytic properties of BcII, individual substitutions of selected amino acids were generated. With the exception of His(116)-->Ser (H116S), C221A and C221S, the mono- and di-zinc forms of all the other mutants were poorly active. The activity of H116S decreases by a factor of 10 when compared with the wild type. The catalytic efficiency of C221A and C221S was zinc-dependent. The mono-zinc forms of these mutants exhibited a low activity, whereas the catalytic efficiency of their respective di-zinc forms was comparable with that of the wild type. Surprisingly, the zinc contents of the mutants and the wild-type BcII were similar. These data suggest that the affinity of the beta-lactamase for the metal was not affected by the substitution of the ligand. The pH-dependence of the H196S catalytic efficiency indicates that the zinc ions participate in the hydrolysis of the beta-lactam ring by acting as a Lewis acid. The zinc ions activate the catalytic water molecule, but also polarize the carbonyl bond of the beta-lactam ring and stabilize the development of a negative charge on the carbonyl oxygen of the tetrahedral reaction intermediate. Our studies also demonstrate that Asn(233) is not directly involved in the interaction with the substrates.

The stability of cefcapene and cefpodoxime, oral antibacterial cephalosporins, toward different classes of beta-lactamases was evaluated. For the class A beta-lactamases, TEM-1, SHV-1, and NMC-A, only the steady-state kinetic parameter ( k(cat)/ Km) values were calculated (3100 - 1.1 x 10(7) M(-1) x s(-1)), because these enzymes have very high Km values for cefpodoxime and cefotaxime. As for class B beta-lactamases L1, IMP-1, and CcrA, in general, similar k(cat)/ Km values were obtained. However, regarding class C beta-lactamases from Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Citrobacter freundii, we found major differences in stability between the two compounds. Cefpodoxime acted as a good substrate for the class C beta-lactamases, except for the enzyme from E. cloacae; its k(cat) and Km values were successfully calculated ( k(cat)/ Km, 1.8 x 10(5) - 1.2 x 10(7) M(-1) x s(-1)). On the other hand, cefcapene acted as a poor substrate or an inactivator for class C beta-lactamases; its k(2)/ K value was successfully calculated (8.7 x 10(5) - 7.0 x 10(6) M(-1) x s(-1)). In addition, k(3) values were determined for beta-lactamases from P. aeruginosa (2.3 x 10(-2) x s(-1)) and C. freundii (2.1 x 10(-1) x s(-1)). Even though these values could be calculated, transient inactivation as an enzyme reactivation reaction for all these enzymes was observed. These findings suggest the potential of cephem compounds as inhibitors of class C beta-lactamases.

PER-2 belongs to a small (7 members to date) group of extended-spectrum β-lactamases. It has 88% amino acid identity with PER-1 and both display high catalytic efficiencies towards most β-lactams. In this study, we determined the X-ray structure of PER-2 at 2.20 Å, and evaluated the possible role of several residues in the structure and activity towards β-lactams and mechanism-based inhibitors. PER-2 is defined by the presence of a singular trans bond between residues 166-167 that generates an inverted Ω loop, and an expanded fold of this domain that results in a wide active site cavity that allows for an efficient hydrolysis of antibiotics like the oxyimino-cephalosporins, and a series of exclusive interactions between residues not frequently involved in the stabilization of the active site in other class A β-lactamases. PER β-lactamases could be included within a cluster of evolutionary related enzymes harboring conserved residues Asp136 and Asn179. Other signature residues that define these enzymes seem to be Gln69, Arg220, Thr237, and probably Arg/Lys240A, with structurally important roles in the stabilization of the active site and proper orientation of catalytic water molecules, among others. We propose, supported by simulated models of PER-2 in combination with different β-lactams, the presence of a hydrogen-bond network connecting Ser70-Gln69-Water-Thr237-Arg220 that might be important for the proper activity and inhibition of the enzyme. Therefore, we could expect that mutations occurring in these positions will have impact in the overall hydrolytic behavior. Fil: Ruggiero, Melina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentina Fil: Kerff, Frédéric. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Herman, Raphaël. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Sapunaric, Frédéric. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Galleni, Moreno. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Gutkind, Gabriel Osvaldo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentina Fil: Charlier, Paulette. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Sauvage, Eric. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Power, Pablo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentina

Klebsiella pneumoniaeML2011, a multiresistant isolate, was isolated from the Military Hospital of Tunis (Tunisia). The determination of the minimal inhibitory concentrations exhibited byK. pneumoniaeML2011 was performed by Etest. The crude extract of the isolates contains four differentβ-lactamases with pI 5.5, 7.3, 7.6, and 8.6. Only theβ-lactamases with pI 7.3 and pI 8.6 were transferred by transformation and conjugation experiment. Molecular characterization of these genes was performed by PCR and sequencing. The chromosomalβ-lactamases are TEM (pI 5.5) and SHV-1 (7.6). CTX-M-28 (pI 8.6) and the novel variant of SHV named SHV-104 (pI 7.3) were encoded byblagene located on a 50 kb highly conjugative plasmid. The SHV-104β-lactamase was produced inE. coliand purified. Its profile of activity was determined. Compared to SHV-1, SHV-104 contains one mutation, R202S. Their kinetic parameters were similar except for cefotaxime. The analysis of the predicted structure of SHV-104 indicated that the R202S mutation suppresses a salt bridge present in SHV-1. Therefore, the overall flexibility of the protein increased and might improve the hydrolysis of cefotaxime. We can conclude that the multiresistant phenotype ofK. pneumoniaeML2011 strain is mainly linked to the production of CTX-M-28 since SHV-104 possesses a narrow spectrum of activity.

The discovery of novel β-lactamases and penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) often requires kinetic characterization. As such, the rate at which a β-lactamase hydrolyzes a β-lactam is influenced by several factors. The first is concentration of β-lactam, which is designated [S] and is expressed in units of molarity. The second is temperature. As the temperature rises, molecular motion, and hence collisions between β-lactamase and β-lactam, and the rates of interconversion of intermediates increase. The third factor is the presence of inhibitors. β-lactamase inhibitors are clinically used to hinder the activity of the β-lactamase. The last is pH: the charge of active-site groups and the conformation of a protein are influenced by pH, and enzyme activity is crucially dependent on both these factors. The equations of enzyme kinetics are conceptual tools that allow us to interpret quantitative measurements of enzyme activity. Nitrocefin is the most practical reference compound, since the accumulation of ER* can be monitored at 480 to 490 nm and no interference is expected with most other β-lactams which do not yield acyl enzymes absorbing in this wavelength range. Several class D β-lactamases also exhibit substrate-induced inactivation (or biphasic kinetics) with a significant number of substrates. Indeed, in some but not all cases, the substrate-induced inactivation disappeared in the presence of a saturating concentration of bicarbonate which was assumed to completely maintain the Lys in the carboxylated form.

Class D β-lactamases are a group of structurally related active site serine enzymes that share a common ancestry with the high-molecular-weight class C penicillin-binding proteins (18). Class D β-lactamases usually exhibit a preference for penam substrates, including oxacillin and related compounds (hence their eponyms of oxacillinases or OXA-type β-lactamases), and with few exceptions are poorly inhibited by clavulanic acid, being classified in group 2d of the functional classification of β-lactamases (7, 21). Unlike other β-lactamases, class D enzymes are inhibited by chloride ions and tend to exhibit “burst” kinetics, with initial hydrolysis rates declining more rapidly than can be explained by substrate depletion (16). Recently the structure of OXA-10 has been solved, providing major insights into the structural and mechanistic features of these enzymes (12, 19, 25). The structural data suggested that the catalytic mechanism of class D β-lactamases is different from that of other serine β-lactamases and also provided some explanation of the mechanism of chloride inhibition typical of these enzymes (12, 19, 25). Another remarkable feature of OXA-10, which could apply to other class D β-lactamases as well, is the tendency to form dimers in the presence of some divalent cations and to exhibit modified kinetic behavior upon dimerization (25). Currently, some 30 different class D β-lactamases have been described (1, 2, 5, 10, 21, 23, 27, 35), and several groups have been identified within this class on the basis of the degree of structural relatedness among the various members (21, 32). Most known class D β-lactamases are encoded by genes carried on mobile elements, while a minority are encoded by genes apparently resident in some microbial genomes (21). From a clinical standpoint, the relevance of class D β-lactamases is essentially dependent on their occurrence as acquired enzymes in clinical isolates of various gram-negative pathogens, such as pseudomonads, acinetobacters, and enteric bacteria (7, 17, 21). The finding of class D β-lactamases that are active on oxyimino-cephalosporins or carbapenems (1, 2, 5, 10, 21, 27) has further enhanced their medical interest. In this work we report the characterization of a new class D β-lactamase determinant from Legionella (Fluoribacter) gormanii, the product of which, named OXA-29, is quite divergent from and exhibits some unusual features compared to other class D enzymes.

One high affinity (nm) and one low affinity (microM) macroscopic dissociation constant for the binding of metal ions were found for the wild-type metallo-beta-lactamase from Bacillus cereus as well as six single-site mutants in which all ligands in the two metal binding sites were altered. Surprisingly, the mutations did not cause a specific alteration of the affinity of metal ions for the sole modified binding site as determined by extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) and perturbed angular correlation of gamma-rays spectroscopy, respectively. Also UV-visible absorption spectra for the mono-cobalt enzymes clearly contain contributions from both metal sites. The observations of the very similar microscopic dissociation constants of both binding sites in contrast to the significantly differing macroscopic dissociation constants inevitably led to the conclusion that binding to the two metal sites exhibits negative cooperativity. The slow association rates for forming the binuclear enzyme determined by stopped-flow fluorescence measurements suggested that fast metal exchange between the two sites for the mononuclear enzyme hinders the binding of a second metal ion. EXAFS spectroscopy of the mono- and di-zinc wild type enzymes and two di-zinc mutants provide a definition of the metal ion environments, which is compared with the available x-ray crystallographic data.

Resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics mediated by metallo-beta-lactamases is an increasingly worrying clinical problem. Candidate inhibitors include mercaptocarboxylic acids, and we report studies of a simple such compound, thiomandelic acid. A series of 35 analogues were synthesized and examined as metallo-beta-lactamase inhibitors. The K(i) values (Bacillus cereus enzyme) are 0.09 microm for R-thiomandelic acid and 1.28 microm for the S-isomer. Structure-activity relationships show that the thiol is essential for activity and the carboxylate increases potency; the affinity is greatest when these groups are close together. Thioesters of thiomandelic acid are substrates for the enzyme, liberating thiomandelic acid, suggesting a starting point for the design of "pro-drugs." Importantly, thiomandelic acid is a broad spectrum inhibitor of metallo-beta-lactamases, with a submicromolar K(i) value for all nine enzymes tested, except the Aeromonas hydrophila enzyme; such a wide spectrum of activity is unprecedented. The binding of thiomandelic acid to the B. cereus enzyme was studied by NMR; the results are consistent with the idea that the inhibitor thiol binds to both zinc ions, while its carboxylate binds to Arg(91). Amide chemical shift perturbations for residues 30-40 (the beta(3)-beta(4) loop) suggest that this small inhibitor induces a movement of this loop of the kind seen for other larger inhibitors.

Small, soluble single-domain fragments derived from the unique variable region of dromedary heavy-chain antibodies (VHHs) against enzymes are known to be potent inhibitors. The immunization of dromedaries with the TEM-1 and BcII β-lactamases has lead to the isolation of such single-domain antibody fragments specifically recognizing and inhibiting those β-lactamases. Two VHHs were isolated that inhibit TEM-1 and one BcII inhibiting VHH was identified. All inhibitory VHHs were tight-binding inhibitors. The 50% inhibitory concentrations were determined for all inhibitors and they were all in the same range as the enzyme concentration used in the assay. Addition of the VHHs to the TEM-1 β-lactamase, expressed on the surface of bacteria, leads to a higher ampicillin sensitivity of the bacteria. This innovative strategy could generate multiple potent inhibitors for all types of β-lactamases.

Incubation of moxalactam and cefoxitin with the Aeromonas hydrophila metallo-b-lactamase CphA leads to enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of both compounds and to irreversible inactivation of the enzyme by the reaction products. As shown by electrospray mass spectrometry, the inactivation of CphA by cefoxitin and moxalactam is accompanied by the formation of stable adducts with mass increases of 445 and 111 Da, respectively. The single thiol group of the inactivated enzyme is no longer titrable, and dithiothreitol treatment of the complexes partially restores the catalytic activity. The mechanism of inactivation by moxalactam was studied in detail. Hydrolysis of moxalactam is followed by elimination of the 3 0 leaving group (5-mercapto-1-methyltetrazole), which forms a disulfide bond with the cysteine residue of CphA located in the active site. Interestingly, this reaction is catalyzed by cacodylate.

CENTA, a chromogenic cephalosporin, is readily hydrolyzed by β-lactamases of all classes except for the Aeromonas hydrophila metalloenzyme. Although it cannot practically be used for the detection of β-lactamase-producing strains on agar plates, it should be quite useful for kinetic studies and the detection of the enzymes in crude extracts and chromatographic fractions.

The metallo-beta-lactamase betaLII from Bacillus cereus 569/H/9 was displayed on the filamentous phage fd. The phage-bound enzyme fd-betaLII was shown to be active on benzylpenicillin as substrate; it could be inactivated by complexation of the essential zinc(II) ion with EDTA and reactivated by addition of a zinc(II) salt. A selection process was designed to extract active phage-bound enzymes from libraries of mutants in three steps: 1. inactivation of active phage-bound enzymes by metal ion complexation, 2. binding to substrate-coated magnetic beads, 3. release of phages capable of transforming the substrate into product upon zinc salt addition. The selection process was first successfully tested on model mixtures containing fd-betaLII plus either a dummy phage, a phage displaying an inactive mutant of the serine beta-lactamase TEM-1, or inactive and low-activity mutants of betaLII. The selection was then applied to extract active phage-bound enzymes from a library of mutants generated by mutagenic polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The activity of the library was shown to increase 60-fold after two rounds of selection. Eleven clones from the second round were randomly picked for sequencing and to characterize their activity and stability.

The bla FEZ-1 gene coding for the metallo-β-lactamase of Legionella (Fluoribacter) gormanii ATCC 33297 T was overexpressed via a T7 expression system in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)(pLysS). The product was purified to homogeneity in two steps with a yield of 53%. The FEZ-1 metallo-β-lactamase exhibited a broad-spectrum activity profile, with a preference for cephalosporins such as cephalothin, cefuroxime, and cefotaxime. Monobactams were not hydrolyzed. The β-lactamase was inhibited by metal chelators. FEZ-1 is a monomeric enzyme with a molecular mass of 29,440 Da which possesses two zinc-binding sites. Its zinc content did not vary in the pH range of 5 to 9, but the presence of zinc ions modified the catalytic efficiency of the enzyme. A model of the FEZ-1 three-dimensional structure was built.

Metallo beta-lactamase enzymes confer antibiotic resistance to bacteria by catalyzing the hydrolysis of beta-lactam antibiotics. This relatively new form of resistance is spreading unchallenged as there is a current lack of potent and selective inhibitors of metallo beta-lactamases. Reported here are the crystal structures of the native IMP-1 metallo beta-lactamase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and its complex with a mercaptocarboxylate inhibitor, 2-[5-(1-tetrazolylmethyl)thien-3-yl]-N-[2-(mercaptomethyl)-4 -(phenylb utyrylglycine)]. The structures were determined by molecular replacement, and refined to 3.1 A (native) and 2.0 A (complex) resolution. Binding of the inhibitor in the active site induces a conformational change that results in closing of the flap and transforms the active site groove into a tunnel-shaped cavity enclosing 83% of the solvent accessible surface area of the inhibitor. The inhibitor binds in the active site through interactions with residues that are conserved among metallo beta-lactamases; the inhibitor's carboxylate group interacts with Lys161, and the main chain amide nitrogen of Asn167. In the "oxyanion hole", the amide carbonyl oxygen of the inhibitor interacts through a water molecule with the side chain of Asn167, the inhibitor's thiolate bridges the two Zn(II) ions in the active site displacing the bridging water, and the phenylbutyryl side chain binds in a hydrophobic pocket (S1) at the base of the flap. The flap is displaced 2.9 A compared to the unbound structure, allowing Trp28 to interact edge-to-face with the inhibitor's thiophene ring. The similarities between this inhibitor and the beta-lactam substrates suggest a mode of substrate binding and the role of the conserved residues in the active site. It appears that the metallo beta-lactamases bind their substrates by establishing a subset of binding interactions near the catalytic center with conserved characteristic chemical groups of the beta-lactam substrates. These interactions are complemented by additional nonspecific binding between the more variable groups in the substrates and the flexible flap. This unique mode of binding of the mercaptocarboxylate inhibitor in the enzyme active site provides a binding model for metallo beta-lactamase inhibition with utility for future drug design.

Beta-lactamases are involved in bacterial resistance. Members of the metallo-enzyme class are now found in many pathogenic bacteria and are becoming thus of major clinical importance. Despite the availability of Zn-beta-lactamase X-ray structures their mechanism of action is still unclear. One puzzling observation is the presence of one or two zincs in the active site. To aid in assessing the role of zinc content in beta-lactam hydrolysis, the replacement by Ser of the zinc-liganding residue Cys168 in the Zn-beta-lactamase from Bacillus cereus strain 569/H/9 was carried out: the mutant enzyme (C168S) is inactive in the mono-Zn form, but active in the di-Zn form. The structure of the mono-Zn form of the C168S mutant has been determined at 1.85 A resolution. Ser168 occupies the same position as Cys168 in the wild-type enzyme. The protein residues mostly affected by the mutation are Asp90-Arg91 and His210. A critical factor for the activity of the mono-Zn species is the distance between Asp90 and the Zn ion, which is controlled by Arg91: a slight movement of Asp90 impairs catalysis. The evolution of a large superfamily including Zn-beta-lactamases suggests that they may not all share the same mechanism.

In addition to the BlaB metallo-β-lactamase, Chryseobacterium ( Flavobacterium ) meningosepticum CCUG 4310 (NCTC 10585) constitutively produces a 31-kDa active-site serine β-lactamase, named CME-1, with an alkaline isoelectric pH. The blaA CME gene that encodes the latter enzyme was isolated from a genomic library constructed in the Escherichia coli plasmid vector pACYC184 by screening for cefuroxime-resistant clones. Sequence analysis revealed that the CME-1 enzyme is a new class A β-lactamase structurally divergent from the other members of this class, being most closely related to the VEB-1 (also named CEF-1) and PER β-lactamases and the Bacteroides chromosomal cephalosporinases. The blaA CME determinant is located on the chromosome and exhibits features typical of those of C. meningosepticum resident genes. The CME-1 protein was purified from an E. coli strain that overexpresses the cloned gene via a T7-based expression system by means of an anion-exchange chromatography step followed by a gel permeation chromatography step. Kinetic parameters for several substrates were determined. CME-1 is a clavulanic acid-susceptible extended-spectrum β-lactamase that hydrolyzes most cephalosporins, penicillins, and monobactams but that does not hydrolyze cephamycins and carbapenems. The enzyme exhibits strikingly different kinetic parameters for different classes of β-lactams, with both K m and k cat values much higher for cephalosporins than for penicillins and monobactams. However, the variability of both kinetic parameters resulted in overall similar acylation rates ( k cat / K m ratios) for all types of β-lactam substrates.

Although β-lactamases have generally been considered as being devoid of peptidase activity, a low but significant hydrolysis of various N-acylated dipeptides was observed with representatives of each class of β-lactamases. The kcat/Km values were below 0.1 M-1˙s-1, but the enzyme rate enhancement factors were in the range 5000-20000 for the best substrates. Not unexpectedly, the best ‘peptidase’ was the class C β-lactamase of Enterobacter cloacae P99, but, more surprisingly, the activity was always higher with the phenylacetyl- and benzoyl-D-Ala-D-Ala dipeptides than with the diacetyl- and α-acetyl-L-Lys-D-Ala-D-Ala tripeptides, which are the preferred substrates of the low-molecular-mass, soluble DD-peptidases. A comparison between the β-lactamases and DD-peptidases showed that it might be as difficult for a DD-peptidase to open the β-lactam ring as it is for the β-lactamases to hydrolyse the peptides, an observation which can be explained by geometric and stereoelectronic considerations.

When expressed by pathogenic bacteria, Zn2+-β-lactamases induce resistance to most β-lactam antibiotics. A possible strategy to fight these bacteria would be a combined therapy with non-toxic inhibitors of Zn2+-β-lactamases together with standard antibiotics. For this purpose, it is important to verify that the inhibitor is effective under all clinical conditions. We have investigated the correlation between the number of zinc ions bound to the Zn2+-β-lactamase from Bacillus cereus and hydrolysis of benzylpenicillin and nitrocefin for the wild type and a mutant where cysteine 168 is replaced by alanine. It is shown that both the mono-Zn2+ (mononuclear) and di-Zn2+(binuclear) Zn2+-β-lactamases are catalytically active but with different kinetic properties. The mono-Zn2+-β-lactamase requires the conserved cysteine residue for hydrolysis of the β-lactam ring in contrast to the binuclear enzyme where the cysteine residue is not essential. Substrate affinity is not significantly affected by the mutation for the mononuclear enzyme but is decreased for the binuclear enzyme. These results were derived from kinetic studies on two wild types and the mutant enzyme with benzylpenicillin and nitrocefin as substrates. Thus, targeting drug design to modify this residue might represent an efficient strategy, the more so if it also interferes with the formation of the binuclear enzyme.

Two Zn2+ binding sites were found in the Aeromonas hydrophila AE036 metallo-beta-lactamase. The affinity of the first binding site for Zn2+ ions is so high that the dissociation constant could not be determined, but it is significantly lower than 20 nM. The mono-Zn2+ form of the enzyme exhibits a maximum activity against its carbapenem substrates. The presence of a Zn2+ ion in the second lower affinity binding site results in a loss of enzymatic activity with a Ki value of 46 microM at pH 6.5. The kinetic analysis is in agreement with a noncompetitive inhibition mechanism. The Zn content of the A. hydrophila enzyme is also strongly pH-dependent. With an external Zn2+ ion concentration of 0.4 microM, occupancy of the higher affinity site by metal ions is lower than 10% at pH 5 and 10. The affinity for the second binding site seems to increase from pH 6 to 7.5. Fluorescence emission and circular dichroism spectra revealed slight conformational changes upon titration of the apoenzyme by Zn2+ ions, resulting in the successive saturation of the first and second binding sites. Differential scanning calorimetry transitions and intrinsic fluorescence emission spectra in the presence of increasing concentrations of urea demonstrate that the catalytic zinc strongly stabilizes the conformation of the enzyme whereas the di-Zn enzyme is even more resistant to thermal and urea denaturation than the mono-Zn enzyme. The Zn2+ dependency of the activity of this metallo-beta-lactamase thus appears to be very different from that of the homologous Bacteroides fragilis enzyme for which the presence of two Zn2+ ions per molecule of protein appears to result in maximum activity.

Background The enzymatic activity of the four proteases found in the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus is involved in the pathogenesis of allergy. Our aim was to elucidate the activation cascade of their corresponding precursor forms and particularly to highlight the interconnection between proteases during this cascade. Methods The cleavage of the four peptides corresponding to the mite zymogen activation sites was studied on the basis of the Forster Resonance Energy Transfer method. The proDer p 6 zymogen was then produced in Pichia pastoris to elucidate its activation mechanism by mite proteases, especially Der p 1. The role of the propeptide in the inhibition of the enzymatic activity of Der p 6 was also examined. Finally, the Der p 1 and Der p 6 proteases were localised via immunolocalisation in D. pteronyssinus. Results All peptides were specifically cleaved by Der p 1, such as proDer p 6. The propeptide of proDer p 6 inhibited the proteolytic activity of Der p 6, but once cleaved, it was degraded by the protease. The Der p 1 and Der p 6 proteases were both localised to the midgut of the mite. Conclusions Der p 1 in either its recombinant form or in the natural context of house dust mite extracts specifically cleaves all zymogens, thus establishing its role as a major activator of both mite cysteine and serine proteases. General significance This finding suggests that Der p 1 may be valuable target against mites. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Designing hybrid proteins is a major aspect of protein engineering and covers a very wide range of applications from basic research to medical applications. This review focuses on the use of class Aβ-lactamases as versatile scaffolds to design hybrid enzymes (referred to asβ-lactamase hybrid proteins, BHPs) in which an exogenous peptide, protein or fragment thereof is inserted at various permissive positions. We discuss how BHPs can be specifically designed to create bifunctional proteins, to produce and to characterize proteins that are otherwise difficult to express, to determine the epitope of specific antibodies, to generate antibodies against nonimmunogenic epitopes, and to better understand the structure/function relationship of proteins.

RBcel1 is an endoglucanase belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 5 subfamily 5 (GH5_5) that was recently identified from a soil metagenome library from the Antarctic. Unlike its closest structural homologue (Cel5A from Thermoascus aurantiacus), this enzyme was reported to be able to catalyze transglycosylation reactions and has putatively been implicated in the bacterial cellulose-synthesis process. Here, the structure of RBcel1 at 1.4 A resolution, solved by molecular replacement, is reported. The structure and putative substrate-binding site are described and compared with those of other GH5_5 subfamily members.

A gene identical to plasmid-borne bla CTX-M-3 is present in the chromosome of one Kluyvera ascorbata strain. It is associated with a structure including an inverted repeat right and an open reading frame 477-like gene probably involved in the mobilization of bla CTX-M-3 . Two other K. ascorbata strains rendered the previously described bla KLUA-9 gene.

The 8-thioxocephalosporins are poor substrates for the B. cereus metallo beta-lactamase (k(cat)/K(m)=61.4M(-1) s(-1)) and act as weak competitive inhibitors (K(i) approximately 700 microM). The hydrolysis product of thioxocephalosporin, a thioacid, also inhibits the enzyme competitively with a K(i)=96 microM, whereas the cyclic thioxo-piperazinedione, formed by intramolecular aminolysis of thioxocephalexin has a K(i) of 29 microM.

MβL (metallo-β-lactamase) enzymes are usually produced by multi-resistant Gram-negative bacterial strains and have spread worldwide. An approach on the basis of phage display was used to select single-domain antibody fragments (VHHs, also called nanobodies) that would inhibit the clinically relevant VIM (Verona integron-encoded MβL)-4 MβL. Out of more than 50 selected nanobodies, only the NbVIM_38 nanobody inhibited VIM-4. The paratope, inhibition mechanism and epitope of the NbVIM_38 nanobody were then characterized. An alanine scan of the NbVIM_38 paratope showed that its binding was driven by hydrophobic amino acids. The inhibitory concentration was in the micromolar range for all β-lactams tested. In addition, the inhibition was found to follow a mixed hyperbolic profile with a predominantly uncompetitive component. Moreover, substrate inhibition was recorded only after nanobody binding. These kinetic data are indicative of a binding site that is distant from the active site. This finding was confirmed by epitope mapping analysis that was performed using peptides, and which identified two stretches of amino acids in the L6 loop and at the end of the α2 helix. Because this binding site is distant from the active site and alters both the substrate binding and catalytic properties of VIM-4, this nanobody can be considered as an allosteric inhibitor.

The 3-D structure of Bacillus cereus (569/H/9) beta-lactamase (EC 3.5.2.6), which catalyses the hydrolysis of nearly all beta-lactams, has been solved at 2.5 A resolution by the multiple isomorphous replacement method, with density modification and phase combination, from crystals of the native protein and of a specially designed mutant (T97C). The current model includes 212 of the 227 amino acid residues, the zinc ion and 10 water molecules. The protein is folded into a beta beta sandwich with helices on each external face. To our knowledge, this fold has never been observed. An approximate internal molecular symmetry is found, with a 2-fold axis passing roughly through the zinc ion and suggesting a possible gene duplication. The active site is located at one edge of the beta beta sandwich and near the N-terminal end of a helix. The zinc ion is coordinated by three histidine residues (86, 88 and 149) and a water molecule. A sequence comparison of the relevant metallo-beta-lactamases, based on this protein structure, highlights a few well-conserved amino acid residues. The structure shows that most of these residues are in the active site. Among these, aspartic acid 90 and histidine 210 participate in a proposed catalytic mechanism for beta-lactam hydrolysis.

Les dermatophytes sont des champignons filamenteux keratinophiles et keratinolytiques responsables de mycoses cutanees superficielles et contagieuses appelees dermatophytoses. Actuellement, le traitement des dermatophytoses necessite l’action prolongee d’antifongiques par voie topique et/ou orale ce qui engendre des couts importants ainsi que des nuisances ecologiques. De plus, aucun produit preventif n’est disponible sur le marche en cas de recidives infectieuses. L’adherence des champignons aux tissus de l’hote est un processus complexe qui fait intervenir de nombreuses proteines telles que les adhesines et des proteases. Il a ete montre qu’une endoprotease de type subtilisine (Sub3) est impliquee dans le mecanisme d’adherence du dermatophyte a l’epiderme. L’inhibition de cette protease pourrait etre une premiere alternative pour la prevention des dermatophytoses. Le Centre d’ingenierie des proteines (CIP) est une unite disposant d’un centre de recherche academique et de deux plates-formes : Roboprotein et Protein Factory. Notre centre a developpe de nombreuses competences comme l’isolement et clonage de genes codant pour des proteines d’interets, production et purification de proteines recombinantes variees, caracterisations biochimiques, cristallographie, tests enzymatiques, etudes interactions et d’inhibitions, screening de nouvelles molecules et modelisation moleculaire. Notre unite a participe a la production, purification et caracterisation de la Subtilisine 3 recombinante de Trichophyton rubrum ainsi que de son propeptide. Ceci a permis de montrer que le propeptide de Sub 3 est un inhibiteur puissant de la protease mature. Le propeptide pourrait etre un premier candidat utilise dans la prevention des dermatophytoses. Ces resultats montrent que les recherches visant a identifier, produire et caracteriser des proteines impliquees dans les mecanismes d’adherence sont necessaires pour in fine developper des produits efficaces dans la protection contre les dermatophytoses.

Two laboratory mutant forms, TEM-149 H240 and TEM-149 H164-H240 , of the TEM-149 extended-spectrum β-lactamase enzyme were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis. TEM-149 H240 and TEM-149 H164-H240 were similar in kinetic behavior, except with respect to benzylpenicillin and ceftazidime. Molecular modeling of the two mutant enzymes demonstrated the role of histidine at position 240 in the reduction of the affinity of the enzyme for ceftazidime.

Objectives: Our aim was to unravel the inactivation pathway of the class A β-lactamase produced by Bacillus licheniformis BS3 (BS3) by clavulanate. Methods: The interaction between clavulanate and BS3 was studied by X-ray crystallography, pre-steady-state kinetics and mass spectrometry. Results: The analysis of the X-ray structure of the complex yielded by the reaction between clavulanate and BS3 indicates that the transient inactivated form, namely the cis-trans enamine complex, is hydrolysed to an ethane-imine ester covalently linked to the active site serine and a pentan-3-one-5-ol acid. It is the first time that this mechanism has been observed in an inactivated β-lactamase. Furthermore, the ionic interactions made by the carboxylic group of pentan-3-one-5-ol may provide an understanding of the decarboxylation process of the trans-enamine observed in the non-productive complex observed for the interaction between clavulanate and SHV-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis β-lactamase (Mtu). Conclusions: This work provides a comprehensive clavulanate hydrolysis pathway accounting for the observed acyl-enzyme structures of class A β-lactamase/clavulanate adducts. Fil: Power, Pablo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentina Fil: Mercuri, Paola. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Herman, Raphaël. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Kerff, Frédéric. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Gutkind, Gabriel Osvaldo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Microbiología; Argentina Fil: Dive, Georges. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Galleni, Moreno. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Charlier, Paulette. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Sauvage, Eric. Université de Liège; Bélgica

Microsporum canis is a pathogenic fungus that causes a superficial cutaneous infection called dermatophytosis, mainly in cats, dogs and humans. Proteolytic enzymes have been postulated to be key factors involved in the invasion of the stratum corneum and keratinized epidermal structures. Among these proteases, the secreted subtilisin protease Sub3 was found to be required for adherence of M. canis arthroconidia to feline epidermis. This protease is synthetized as a preproenzyme consisting of a signal peptide followed by the propeptide and the protease domain. In order to assess whether the enzymatic activity of Sub3 could be responsible for the role of the protease in the adherence process, we expressed and characterized the propeptide of Sub3 and demonstrated that this propeptide is a strong inhibitor of its mature enzyme. This propeptide acts as a noncompetitive inhibitor with dissociation constants, Ki and K?i of 170 and 130 nM respectively. When tested for its capacity to inhibit adherence of M. canis to feline epidermis using an ex vivo adherence model made of feline epidermis, the propeptide does not prevent adherence of M. canis arthroconidia because it loses its capacity to inhibit rSub3 following a direct contact with living arthroconidia, presumably through inactivation by fungal membrane-bound proteases. Fil: Baldo, A.. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Chevigné, A.. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Dumez, M. E.. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Mathy, A.. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Power, Pablo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica; Argentina. Université de Liège; Bélgica. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina Fil: Tabart, J.. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Cambier, L.. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Galleni, Lorena Alejandra. Université de Liège; Bélgica Fil: Mignon, María Belen. Université de Liège; Bélgica

A carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain (PA41437) susceptible to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins was recovered from several consecutive lower-respiratory-tract specimens of a patient who developed a ventilator-associated pneumonia while hospitalized in an intensive care unit. Cloning experiments identified OXA-198, a new class D β-lactamase which was weakly related (less than 45% amino acid identity) to other class D β-lactamases. Expression in Escherichia coli TOP10 and in P. aeruginosa PAO1 led to transformants that were resistant to ticarcillin and showed reduced susceptibility to carbapenems and cefepime. The bla OXA-198 gene was harbored by a class 1 integron carried by a ca. 46-kb nontypeable plasmid. This study describes a novel class D β-lactamase involved in carbapenem resistance in P. aeruginosa .

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is a heme dioxygenase which has been shown to be involved in the pathological immune escape of diseases such as cancer. The synthesis and structure-activity relationships (SAR) of a novel series of IDO inhibitors based on the indol-2-yl ethanone scaffold is described. In vitro and in vivo biological activities have been evaluated, leading to compounds with IC 50 values in the micromolar range in both tests. Introduction of small substituents in the 5- and 6-positions of the indole ring, indole N-methylation and variations of the aromatic side chain are all well tolerated. An iron coordinating group on the linker is a prerequisite for biological activity, thus corroborating the virtual screening results. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.