This study examines metal binding to metallo-β-lactamase VIM-2, demonstrating the first successful preparation of a Co(II)-substituted VIM-2 analogue. Spectroscopic studies of the half- and fully metal loaded enzymes show that both Zn(II) and Co(II) bind cooperatively, where the major species present, regardless of stoichiometry, are apo- and di-Zn (or di-Co) enzymes. We determined the di-Zn VI...

The phenotypes and genotypes of 26 beta lactamase (penicillinase) producing strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (PPNG) from African countries were investigated. Using the restriction enzyme technique nine different restriction enzyme patterns were found, two of them in 15 strains. Of the 26 strains, 16 belonged to serogroup WI (containing protein type IA) and 10 to serogroup WII/III (containing pr...

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics has become a major source of concern for public health. Enterobacteriaceae are among the most common human pathogens, causing community-acquired as well as hospital-acquired infections. Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae have been increasingly reported worldwide since their first identification more than 20 years ago. Three main classes of carbapenemases...

Recent developments in molecular breeding and directed evolution have promised great developments in industrial enzymes as demonstrated by exponential improvements in beta-lactamase and green fluorescent protein (GFP). Detection of and screening for improved enzymes are relatively easy if the target enzyme is expressible in a suitable high-throughput screening host and a clearly defined and usa...

Crystallographic studies of the complex between beta-lactamase and clavulanate reveal a structure of two acyl-enzymes with covalent bonds at the active site Ser70, representing two different stages of inhibitor degradation alternately occupying the active site. Models that are consistent with biochemical data are derived from the electron density map and refined at 2.2 A resolution: cis enamine...

Ceftazidime-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae (49 and 102 isolates, respectively) were collected from Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Mo., from 1992 to 1996. They were uniformly resistant to ceftazidime, generally resistant to aztreonam, and variably susceptible to cefotaxime. Four representative E. coli strains and 15 Klebsiella strains were examined. From one to four b-l...

Twelve ceftazidime-resistant isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae (11 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates and 1 Escherichia coli isolate) were collected in 1995 from three Polish hospitals located in different cities. All were identified as producers of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs). Detailed analysis of their beta-lactamase contents revealed that six of them expressed SHV-5-like ES...

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Extended spectrum beta lactamases (ESBLs) have been observed in virtually all the species of family Enterobacteriaceae. The enzymes are predominantly plasmid mediated and are derived from broad-spectrum beta lactamase TEM-1, TEM-2 or SHV-1 by a limited number of mutations. This study was undertaken to characterize ESBL producers among Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneu...

Extended Spectrum beta-Lactamase (ESBL) producing Enterobacteriaceae started to appear in the 1980s, and have since emerged as some of the most significant hospital-acquired infections with Escherichia coli and Klebsiella being main players. More than 100 different ESBL types have been described, the most widespread being the CTX-M beta-lactamase enzymes (bla(CTX-M) genes). This study focuses o...