Biomaterial Database

[Mechanisms of bacterial resistance to beta-lactams by beta-lactamases]. 1997

T Sawai

Division of Microbial Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba University.

The beta-lactamases are bacterial enzymes that inactivate beta-lactam antibiotics by catalyzing the hydrolysis of the amide group of the beta-lactam ring. They are the source of much bacterial resistance to those antibiotics. Structural studies on the enzymes, i.e., penicillinases and cephalosporinases, are now well-advanced and the up-to-date knowledge of this research field were explained together with the proposed mechanism of beta-lactam hydrolysis by a cephalosporinase. After the introduction of the beta-lactamase-stable beta-lactams such as oxyimino cephalosporins, R plasmid-mediated penicillinases and a chromosomal cephalosporinase have been found to be adapted to the new drugs by mutation. The characteristics of the mutant beta-lactamases and their importance in the bacterial resistance to the new beta-lactams were explained.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009154	Mutation	Any detectable and heritable change in the genetic material that causes a change in the GENOTYPE and which is transmitted to daughter cells and to succeeding generations.	Mutations
D006868	Hydrolysis	The process of cleaving a chemical compound by the addition of a molecule of water.
D000900	Anti-Bacterial Agents	Substances that inhibit the growth or reproduction of BACTERIA.	Anti-Bacterial Agent,Anti-Bacterial Compound,Anti-Mycobacterial Agent,Antibacterial Agent,Antibiotics,Antimycobacterial Agent,Bacteriocidal Agent,Bacteriocide,Anti-Bacterial Compounds,Anti-Mycobacterial Agents,Antibacterial Agents,Antibiotic,Antimycobacterial Agents,Bacteriocidal Agents,Bacteriocides,Agent, Anti-Bacterial,Agent, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agent, Antibacterial,Agent, Antimycobacterial,Agent, Bacteriocidal,Agents, Anti-Bacterial,Agents, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agents, Antibacterial,Agents, Antimycobacterial,Agents, Bacteriocidal,Anti Bacterial Agent,Anti Bacterial Agents,Anti Bacterial Compound,Anti Bacterial Compounds,Anti Mycobacterial Agent,Anti Mycobacterial Agents,Compound, Anti-Bacterial,Compounds, Anti-Bacterial
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria
D001618	beta-Lactamases	Enzymes found in many bacteria which catalyze the hydrolysis of the amide bond in the beta-lactam ring. Well known antibiotics destroyed by these enzymes are penicillins and cephalosporins.	beta-Lactamase,beta Lactamase,beta Lactamases
D015394	Molecular Structure	The location of the atoms, groups or ions relative to one another in a molecule, as well as the number, type and location of covalent bonds.	Structure, Molecular,Molecular Structures,Structures, Molecular
D047090	beta-Lactams	Four-membered cyclic AMIDES, best known for the PENICILLINS based on a bicyclo-thiazolidine, as well as the CEPHALOSPORINS based on a bicyclo-thiazine, and including monocyclic MONOBACTAMS. The BETA-LACTAMASES hydrolyze the beta lactam ring, accounting for BETA-LACTAM RESISTANCE of infective bacteria.	beta-Lactam,4-Thia-1-Azabicyclo(3.2.0)Heptanes,4-Thia-1-Azabicyclo(4.2.0)Octanes,beta Lactam,beta Lactams
D018440	beta-Lactam Resistance	Nonsusceptibility of bacteria to the action of the beta-lactam antibiotics. Mechanisms responsible for beta-lactam resistance may be degradation of antibiotics by BETA-LACTAMASES, failure of antibiotics to penetrate, or low-affinity binding of antibiotics to targets.	beta-Lactam Resistant,beta-Lactamase Resistance,beta-Lactamase Resistant,Resistance, beta-Lactamase,Resistant, beta-Lactamase,beta Lactam Resistance,beta Lactam Resistant,beta Lactamase Resistance,beta Lactamase Resistant