Nitrocefin

Abstract: Hydrolysis of the chromogenic beta-lactam nitrocefin by periplasmic beta-lactamase in intact Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells was used to assess the influence of various compounds on the permeability of the P. aeruginosa outer membrane. In addition to the five previously described outer membrane-active compounds EDTA, polymyxin B, gentamicin, poly-L-lysine, and Tris, seven other compounds were shown to increase outer membrane permeability to nitrocefin by 14- to 63-fold. These other compounds included poly-L-ornithine, neomycin, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, nitrilotriacetate, L-ascorbate, and acetylsalicylate. In each case, Mg2+ ions antagonized, to different extents, the enhancement of outer membrane permeability. The same compounds increased the permeability of the outer membrane to the protein lysozyme and to the hydrophobic fluorescent probe 1-N-phenylnaphthylamine, although L-ascorbate and acetylsalicylate showed only very weak enhancement of uptake in these assays. In this report, we discuss the possibility that these compounds act at a common outer membrane site at which divalent cations noncovalently cross-bridge adjacent lipopolysaccharide molecules.

Abstract: The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria presents an effective barrier that restricts the release of proteins from the cell. Virtually all extracellular proteins of Gram-negative bacteria are exported by specialized systems requiring the action of several gene products. We have constructed a tripartite fusion consisting of (i) the signal sequence and first nine N-terminal amino acids of the mature major Escherichia coli lipoprotein, (ii) amino acids 46-159 of the outer membrane protein OmpA, and (iii) the complete mature beta-lactamase (EC 3.5.2.6) sequence. This protein had an enzymatically active beta-lactamase and was found predominantly in the outer membrane. Immunofluorescence microscopy, the accessibility of the fusion protein to externally added proteases, and the rates of hydrolysis of nitrocefin and penicillin G by whole cells demonstrated that a substantial fraction (20-30%) of the beta-lactamase domain of the fusion protein was exposed on the external surface of E. coli. In cells grown at 24 degrees C the localization of beta-lactamase on the cell surface was almost quantitative (greater than 80% of the enzymatically active protein was exposed to the extracellular fluid) as determined by nitrocefin and penicillin G hydrolysis and trypsin accessibility. These results demonstrated that a soluble protein, beta-lactamase, can be transported through--and become anchored on--the outer membrane by fusion to the proper targeting and localization signals.

Abstract: Members of the β-lactam class of antibiotics, which inhibit the bacterial d,d-transpeptidases involved in cell wall biosynthesis, have never been used systematically in the treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections because of this organism's resistance to β-lactams. The critical resistance factor is the constitutive production of a chromosomally encoded, Ambler class A β-lactamase, BlaC in M. tuberculosis. We show that BlaC is an extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) with high levels of penicillinase and cephalosporinase activity as well as measurable activity with carbapenems, including imipenem and meropenem. We have characterized the enzyme's inhibition by three FDA-approved β-lactamase inhibitors: sulbactam, tazobactam, and clavulanate. Sulbactam inhibits the enzyme competitively and reversibly with respect to nitrocefin. Tazobactam inhibits the enzyme in a time-dependent manner, but the activity of the enzyme reappears due to the slow hydrolysis of the covalently acylated enzyme. In contrast...

Abstract: Background: NXL104 is a novel-structure b-lactamase inhibitor with potent activity against both class A and class C enzymes. Among the class A carbapenemases, KPC-type enzymes are now spreading rapidly and KPC-related carbapenemase resistance is an emerging phenomenon of great clinical importance. The activity of NXL104 against KPC b-lactamases was examined. Methods: Enzymatic activity of purified recombinant KPC-2 was measured with nitrocefin as reporter substrate and inhibition by NXL104 was measured by determination of IC50 values. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of various b-lactams combined with a fixed concentration of NXL104 at 4 mg/L against strains producing KPC enzymes was performed by the broth microdilution method. Results: NXL104 was a potent inhibitor of KPC-2 with an IC50 of 38 nM. NXL104 restored the antimicrobial activity of ceftazidime, ceftriaxone, imipenem and piperacillin against Enterobacteriaceae strains producing KPC-2 or KPC-3. MIC values of ceftazidime against KPC producers were reduced by up to 1000-fold by combination with NXL104. Conclusions: NXL104 inhibitory activity is unique in terms of spectrum, encompassing class A extended-spectrum b-lactamases, class C enzymes and class A carbapenemases. Given the limited therapeutic options available for infections caused by multiresistant Enterobacteriaceae isolates, NXL104 b-lactamase inhibitor is a promising agent to be used in combination with a b-lactam to protect its antibacterial activity.