TITLE:
Unusual metallo-β-lactamases may constitute a new subgroup in this family of enzymes
AUTHORS:
Chun-Feng D. Hou, Emer K. Phelan, Manfredi Miraula, David L. Ollis, Gerhard Schenk, Nataša Mitić
KEYWORDS:
Antibiotic Resistance; β-Lactam Antibiotics; Metallo-β-Lactamases; Sequence Homology; Serratia proteamaculans; Cronobacter sakazakii
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Molecular Biology,
Vol.4 No.1,
January
3,
2014
ABSTRACT: Metallo-β-lactamases
(MBLs) are a family of Zn2+-dependent enzymes that have contributed
strongly to the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. Novel members as
well as variants of existing members of this family are discovered
continuously, compounding their threat to global health care. MBLs are divided
into three subgroups, i.e. B1, B2 and
B3. The recent discovery of an unusual MBL from Serratia proteamaculans (SPR-1) suggests the presence of an
additional subgroup, i.e. B4. A
database search reveals that SPR-1 has only one homologue from Cronobacter sakazakii, CSA-1.These two
MBLs have a unique active site and may employ a mechanism distinct from other
MBLs, but reminiscent of some organophosphate-degrading hydrolases.