Biomaterial Database

Enzymatic synthesis of hydrophobic penicillins. 1995

J M Luengo

Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultades de Biología y Veterinaria, Universidad de León.

Our knowledge of the enzymes and genes involved in the biosynthesis of beta-lactam antibiotics has increased notably in the last decade. The purification to homogeneity of some of these proteins as well as their biochemical characterization has allowed some of them to be used for synthesizing many different penicillins and cephalosporin-like products in vitro. In this report we describe the most important advances in this field, placing special emphasis on the enzymatic synthesis of hydrophobic penicillins. The use of purified acyl-CoA: 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6-APA) acyltransferase (AT) from Penicillium chrysogenum and several acyl-CoA ligases obtained from different microbial origins has led to the reproduction "in vitro" of the last step involved in in penicillin biosynthesis. By coupling these enzymatic systems (AT and acyl-CoA ligases) an impressive number of beta-lactam antibiotics has been obtained. Thus, most of the known natural penicillins, many of the semisynthetic variants and others, which until now can only be obtained chemically, have been synthesized enzymatically from their natural precursors. Furthermore, the use of heterologous proteins in coupled systems has opened a new and exciting field in beta-lactam antibiotic research, lending new perspectives to the traditional methodology followed by antibiotic fermentation industries.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008025	Ligases	A class of enzymes that catalyze the formation of a bond between two substrate molecules, coupled with the hydrolysis of a pyrophosphate bond in ATP or a similar energy donor. (Dorland, 28th ed) EC 6.	Ligase,Synthetases,Synthetase
D010406	Penicillins	A group of antibiotics that contain 6-aminopenicillanic acid with a side chain attached to the 6-amino group. The penicillin nucleus is the chief structural requirement for biological activity. The side-chain structure determines many of the antibacterial and pharmacological characteristics. (Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1065)	Antibiotics, Penicillin,Penicillin,Penicillin Antibiotics
D010408	Penicillium chrysogenum	A mitosporic fungal species used in the production of penicillin.	Penicillium chrysogeum,Penicillium notatum
D004798	Enzymes	Biological molecules that possess catalytic activity. They may occur naturally or be synthetically created. Enzymes are usually proteins, however CATALYTIC RNA and CATALYTIC DNA molecules have also been identified.	Biocatalyst,Enzyme,Biocatalysts
D000214	Acyl Coenzyme A	S-Acyl coenzyme A. Fatty acid coenzyme A derivatives that are involved in the biosynthesis and oxidation of fatty acids as well as in ceramide formation.	Acyl CoA,Fatty Acyl CoA,Long-Chain Acyl CoA,Acyl CoA, Fatty,Acyl CoA, Long-Chain,CoA, Acyl,CoA, Fatty Acyl,CoA, Long-Chain Acyl,Coenzyme A, Acyl,Long Chain Acyl CoA
D000217	Acyltransferases	Enzymes from the transferase class that catalyze the transfer of acyl groups from donor to acceptor, forming either esters or amides. (From Enzyme Nomenclature 1992) EC 2.3.	Acyltransferase
D001233	Aspergillus nidulans	A species of imperfect fungi from which the antibiotic nidulin is obtained. Its teleomorph is Emericella nidulans.	Aspergillus nidulellus,Emericella nidulans
D046915	Penicillin-Binding Proteins	Bacterial proteins that share the property of binding irreversibly to PENICILLINS and other ANTIBACTERIAL AGENTS derived from LACTAMS. The penicillin-binding proteins are primarily enzymes involved in CELL WALL biosynthesis including MURAMOYLPENTAPEPTIDE CARBOXYPEPTIDASE; PEPTIDE SYNTHASES; TRANSPEPTIDASES; and HEXOSYLTRANSFERASES.	Penicillin-Binding Protein,Penicillin-Binding Protein 1,Penicillin-Binding Protein 1A,Penicillin-Binding Protein 1b,Penicillin-Binding Protein 2,Penicillin-Binding Protein 2a,Penicillin-Binding Protein 2b,Penicillin-Binding Protein 3,Penicillin-Binding Protein 4,Penicillin-Binding Protein 5,Penicillin-Binding Protein 6,Penicillin-Binding Protein 7,Penicillin-Binding Protein-2a,Peptidoglycan Synthetase,Penicillin Binding Protein,Penicillin Binding Protein 1,Penicillin Binding Protein 1A,Penicillin Binding Protein 1b,Penicillin Binding Protein 2,Penicillin Binding Protein 2a,Penicillin Binding Protein 2b,Penicillin Binding Protein 3,Penicillin Binding Protein 4,Penicillin Binding Protein 5,Penicillin Binding Protein 6,Penicillin Binding Protein 7,Penicillin Binding Proteins,Protein 1A, Penicillin-Binding,Protein 1b, Penicillin-Binding,Proteins, Penicillin-Binding,Synthetase, Peptidoglycan