Interactions between Active-Site-Serine Beta-Lactamases and Compounds Bearing a Methoxy Side Chain on the Alpha-Face of the Beta-Lactam Ring: Kinetic and Molecular Modelling Studies

in Biochemical Journal (1993), 293((Pt 3)), 607-611

The interactions between three class A beta-lactamases and compounds bearing a methoxy side chain on the alpha-face of the beta-lactam ring (cefoxitin, moxalactam and temocillin) have been studied. When ... [more ▼]

The interactions between three class A beta-lactamases and compounds bearing a methoxy side chain on the alpha-face of the beta-lactam ring (cefoxitin, moxalactam and temocillin) have been studied. When compared with the situation prevailing with good substrates, both acylation and deacylation steps appeared to be severely impaired. Molecular modelling studies of the structures of the Henri-Michaelis complexes and of the acyl-enzymes indicate a major displacement of the crystallographically observed water molecule which connects the glutamate-166 and serine-70 side chains and underline the role of this water molecule in both reaction steps. [less ▲]

Anomalous Behaviour of a Protein During Sds/Page Corrected by Chemical Modification of Carboxylic Groups

in Biochemical Journal (1991), 280((Pt 2)), 553-6

The 29,000-Mr Actinomadura R39 beta-lactamase exhibited a remarkably low electrophoretic mobility on SDS/PAGE, yielding an Mr value almost twice that computed from the corresponding gene sequence. We ... [more ▼]

The 29,000-Mr Actinomadura R39 beta-lactamase exhibited a remarkably low electrophoretic mobility on SDS/PAGE, yielding an Mr value almost twice that computed from the corresponding gene sequence. We showed that chemical modification of the carboxylic groups of glutamic acid and aspartic acid residues restored a normal electrophoretic mobility and that the anomalous behaviour of that protein on SDS/PAGE was due to its very large negative charge at neutral pH. We also compared the behaviour of the same enzyme on gel filtration in the presence of SDS with those of other class A beta-lactamases (Mr approx. 30,000). These experiments suggested that the very low electrophoretic mobility of the Actinomadura R39 beta-lactamase upon SDS/PAGE was more probably due to a low degree of SDS binding rather than to an unusual shape of the SDS-protein complex. [less ▲]

THE MUTATION LYS234HIS YIELDS A CLASS-A BETA-LACTAMASE WITH A NOVEL PH-DEPENDENCE

in Biochemical Journal (1991), 278(Part 3), 673-678

The lysine-234 residue is highly conserved in beta-lactamases and in nearly all active-site-serine penicillin-recognizing enzymes. Its replacement by a histidine residue in the Streptomyces albus G class ... [more ▼]

The lysine-234 residue is highly conserved in beta-lactamases and in nearly all active-site-serine penicillin-recognizing enzymes. Its replacement by a histidine residue in the Streptomyces albus G class A beta-lactamase yielded an enzyme the pH-dependence of which was characterized by the appearance of a novel pK, which could be attributed to the newly introduced residue. At low pH, the k(cat.) value for benzylpenicillin was as high as 50 % of that of the wild-type enzyme, demonstrating that an efficient active site was maintained. Both k(cat.) and k(cat.)/K(m) dramatically decreased above pH 6 but the decrease in k(cat.)/K(m) could not be attributed to larger K(m) values. Thus a positive charge on the side chain of residue 234 appears to be more essential for transition-state stabilization than for initial recognition of the substrate ground state. [less ▲]

The Diversity of the Catalytic Properties of Class a Beta-Lactamases

in Biochemical Journal (1990), 265(1), 131-46

The catalytic properties of four class A beta-lactamases were studied with 24 different substrates. They exhibit a wide range of variation. Similarly, the amino acid sequences are also quite different ... [more ▼]

The catalytic properties of four class A beta-lactamases were studied with 24 different substrates. They exhibit a wide range of variation. Similarly, the amino acid sequences are also quite different. However, no relationships were found between the sequence similarities and the substrate profiles. Lags and bursts were observed with various compounds containing a large sterically hindered side chain. As a group, the enzymes could be distinguished from the class C beta-lactamases on the basis of the kappa cat. values for several substrates, particularly oxacillin, cloxacillin and carbenicillin. Surprisingly, that distinction was impossible with the kappa cat./Km values, which represent the rates of acylation of the active-site serine residue by the beta-lactam. For several cephalosporin substrates (e.g. cefuroxime and cefotaxime) class A enzymes consistently exhibited higher kappa cat. values than class C enzymes, thus belying the usual distinction between 'penicillinases' and 'cephalosporinases'. The problem of the repartition of class A beta-lactamases into sub-classes is discussed. [less ▲]

Cloning and amplified expression in Streptomyces lividans of the gene encoding the extracellular beta-lactamase of Actinomadura R39

in Biochemical Journal (1989), 262(3), 849-854

By using the promoter-probe plasmid pIJ424, genomic DNA fragments of Actinomadura R39 were shown to have promoter activity in Streptomyces lividans. The same 100-200-copy-number plasmid was used to clone ... [more ▼]

By using the promoter-probe plasmid pIJ424, genomic DNA fragments of Actinomadura R39 were shown to have promoter activity in Streptomyces lividans. The same 100-200-copy-number plasmid was used to clone in S. lividans TK24, the gene that encodes the Actinomadura R39, β-lactamase. Gene cloning resulted in an amplified expression of the , β lactamase when compared with the amounts of enzyme produced by the original strain (1 mg versus 0.008 mg . litre of culture-1). [less ▲]