Molecular structure and interrelationships of multiresistance beta-lactamase transposons

Transposons coding for beta-lactamases OXA-3, OXA-4, OXA-5, LCR-1, and CARB-3 have been isolated and compared functionally and structurally with transposons for TEM-1, OXA-1, PSE-1, PSE-2, and PSE-4 enzymes. Each beta-lactamase gene type occurred in a unit together with resistance to other antibiotics, particularly streptomycin and sulfonamide but also chloramphenicol, mercuric ion, or gentamicin, kanamycin, and tobramycin. Restriction mapping, gene cloning, and DNA hybridization were used to compare the transposons and to localize their functional components. Although the multiresistance beta-lactamase transposons varied in size from 8 to 25 kb, the similarity of some of their restriction maps suggested a common derivation. Six of 12 transposons contained DNA segments homologous to the tnpR gene of transposon Tn21 and could complement a tnpR- Tn21 derivative. Consequently, these six transposons appear to have evolved from a common progenitor by acquisition of DNA coding for various beta-lactamases and other resistance genes.     

Identification and characteristic analysis of the ampC gene encoding beta-lactamase from Vibrio fischeri

Vibrio fischeri ATCC 7744 is an ampicillin resistant (Amp(r)) marine luminous bacterium. The MIC test indicates that V. fischeri is highly resistant to penicillins, and susceptible to cephalosporins. V. fischeri ampC gene was cloned and identified. Nucleotide sequence of an unidentified ufo gene and the ampC, ppiB genes (GenBank Accession No. AY438037) has been determined; whereas the ampC gene encodes the beta-lactamase (AmpC) and the ppiB gene encodes the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase B. Alignment and comparison show that V. fischeri beta-lactamase is homologous to the related species'. The specific amino acid residues STFK (62nd to 65th), SDN (122nd to 124th), and D (155th) located 34 residues downstream from the SDN loop of the class A beta-lactamases are highly conserved, but the KTG is not found. V. fischeri ampC gene encoding beta-lactamase has a calculated M(r) 31,181 and comprises 283 amino acid residues (pI 5.35). There is a signal peptide of 18 amino acid residues MKIKPFLFGLIVLANNAI in the pro-beta-lactamase, which functioned for secretion; thus, the matured protein only has M(r) 29,197 and comprises 265 amino acid residues (pI 4.95). SDS-PAGE and the beta-lactamase functional assays elicit that the M(r) of the beta-lactamases are close to 29kDa. IEF and the beta-lactamase functional assays show that the beta-lactamases' pI are close to 4.8 as predicted. The results elucidate that V. fischeri ampC gene and the cloned ampC gene in Escherichia coli are the same one. The gene order of the ampC and the related genes is -ufo-(P*-intern)-ampC-ppiB--> (P*-intern: intern promoter for sub-regulation), whereas the P*-intern promoter displays the function to lead the ampC gene's expression for stress response.     

Phylogeny of LCR-1 and OXA-5 with class A and class D β-lactamases

The nucleotide sequences of blaLCR-1 and blaOXA-5 beta-lactamase genes have been determined. Polypeptide products of 260 and 267 amino acids with estimated molecular masses of 27 120 Da and 27,387 Da were obtained for the mature form of LCR-1 and OXA-5 proteins. A progressive alignment was used to evaluate the extent of identity between LCR-1 and OXA-5 with 29 other beta-lactamase amino acid sequences. The data showed that both belong to class D. We identified amino acids conserved in 24 positions for class A beta-lactamases and in 28 positions for five class D enzymes. The structural similarities between class A and class D beta-lactamases are more extensive than indicated by earlier biochemical studies with overall 16% identity between both classes. From the alignment, dendograms were constructed with a distance-matrix and parsimony methods which defined three major groups of proteins subdivided into clusters giving insight on beta-lactamase phylogeny and evolution.     

Nucleotide sequence of the PSE-4 carbenicillinase gene and correlations with the Staphylococcus aureus PC1 beta-lactamase crystal structure

The nucleotide sequence of the PSE-4 beta-lactamase gene from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain Dalgleish has been determined. The structural gene encodes a polypeptide product of 252 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 29,246 Da for the mature form of the protein. The PSE-4 gene has limited homology with other beta-lactamases at the DNA level. An alignment of all known class A beta-lactamases permitted as to identify specific residues important for enzyme structure and function. To confirm observations based on the linear sequences, we designed a new molecular model for PSE-4 beta-lactamase based on x-ray data from the Staphylococcus aureus PC1 beta-lactamase at 2.0-A resolution. The structural similarities between PSE-4 and class A beta-lactamases are more extensive than indicated by earlier biochemical studies. The combined structural and sequence information now available for a series of beta-lactamases identifies conserved residues in these molecules, giving insight of their divergence and ancestry. Analysis of the PSE-4 flanking DNA sequences revealed an integration site common to antibiotic resistance genes inserted into transposons of the Tn21 family with the target integration sequence AAGTT.     

Inhibition of class D beta-lactamases by diaroyl phosphates

The production of beta-lactamases is an important component of bacterial resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. These enzymes catalyze the hydrolytic destruction of beta-lactams. The class D serine beta-lactamases have, in recent years, been expanding in sequence space and substrate spectrum under the challenge of currently dispensed beta-lactams. Further, the beta-lactamase inhibitors now employed in medicine are not generally effective against class D enzymes. In this paper, we show that diaroyl phosphates are very effective inhibitory substrates of these enzymes. Reaction of the OXA-1 beta-lactamase, a typical class D enzyme, with diaroyl phosphates involves acylation of the active site with departure of an aroyl phosphate leaving group. The interaction of the latter with polar active-site residues is most likely responsible for the general reactivity of these molecules with the enzyme. The rate of acylation of the OXA-1 beta-lactamase by diaroyl phosphates is not greatly affected by the electronic effects of substituents, probably because of compensation phenomena, but is greatly enhanced by hydrophobic substituents; the second-order rate constant for acylation of the OXA-1 beta-lactamase by bis(4-phenylbenzoyl) phosphate, for example, is 1.1 x 10(7) s(-)(1) M(-)(1). This acylation reactivity correlates with the hydrophobic nature of the beta-lactam side-chain binding site of class D beta-lactamases. Deacylation of the enzyme is slow, e.g., 1.24 x 10(-)(3) s(-)(1) for the above-mentioned phosphate and directly influenced by the electronic effects of substituents. The effective steady-state inhibition constants, K(i), are nanomolar, e.g., 0.11 nM for the above-mentioned phosphate. The diaroyl phosphates, which have now been shown to be inhibitory substrates of all serine beta-lactamases, represent an intriguing new platform for the design of beta-lactamase inhibitors.     

Close evolutionary relationship between the chromosomally encoded beta-lactamase gene of Klebsiella pneumoniae and the TEM beta-lactamase gene mediated by R plasmids

Sixty-three percent homology of nucleotide sequence and 67% homology of deduced amino acid sequence were found between the chromosomally encoded beta-lactamase gene of Klebsiella pneumoniae and the TEM beta-lactamase of transposon Tn3. Moreover, 22 out of 24 amino acid residues are identical around the predicted active site. It is therefore suggested that these two kinds of beta-lactamases share a common evolutionary origin. The 0.5 kb DNA fragment of the cloned gene hybridized specifically with the chromosomal DNA of all the K. pneumoniae strains tested which had been isolated in Japan, USA and Europe.     

Cloning and sequencing of the beta-lactamase gene and surrounding DNA sequences of Citrobacter braakii,Citrobacter murliniae,Citrobacter werkmanii,Escherichia fergusonii and Enterobacter cancerogenus

To further identify the origins of plasmid-mediated cephalosporinases that are currently spreading worldwide, the chromosomal beta-lactamase genes of Citrobacter braakii, Citrobacter murliniae, Citrobacter werkmanii reference strains and of Escherichia fergusonii and Enterobacter cancerogenus clinical isolates were cloned and expressed into Escherichia coli and sequenced. These beta-lactamases had all a single pI value >8 and conferred a typical AmpC-type resistance pattern in E. coli recombinant strains. The cloned inserts obtained from genomic DNAs of each strain encoded Ambler class C beta-lactamases. The AmpC-type enzymes of C. murliniae, C. braakii and C. werkmanii shared 99%, 96% and 95% amino acid sequence identity, respectively, with chromosomal AmpC beta-lactamases from Citrobacter freundii. The AmpC-type enzyme of E. cancerogenus shared 85% amino acid sequence identity with the chromosomal AmpC beta-lactamase of Enterobacter cloacae OUDhyp and the AmpC-type enzyme of E. fergusonii shared 96% amino acid sequence identity with that of E. coli K12. The ampC genes, except for E. fergusonii, were associated with genes homologous to regulatory ampR genes of other chromosomal class C beta-lactamases that explain inducibility of beta-lactamase expression in these strains. This work provides further evidence of the molecular heterogeneity of class C beta-lactamases.     

Why clinically used tazobactam and sulbactam are poor inhibitors of OXA-10 beta-lactamase: Raman crystallographic evidence

The clinically used inhibitors tazobactam and sulbactam are effective in the inhibition of activity of class A beta-lactamases, but not for class D beta-lactamases. The two inhibitors exhibit a complex multistep profile for their chemistry of inhibition with class A beta-lactamases. To compare the inhibition profiles for class A and D enzymes, the reactions were investigated within OXA-10 beta-lactamase (a class D enzyme) crystals using a Raman microscope. The favored reaction pathway appears to be distinctly different from that for class A beta-lactamases. In contrast to the case of class A enzymes that favor the formation of a key enamine species, the OXA-10 enzyme forms an alpha,beta-unsaturated acrylate (acid or ester). Quantum mechanical calculations support the likely product as the adduct of Ser115 to the acrylate. Few enamine-like species are formed by sulbactam or tazobactam with this enzyme. Taken together, our results show that the facile conversion of the initial imine, formed upon acylation of the active site Ser67, to the cis- and/or trans-enamine is disfavored. Instead, there is a significant population of the imine that could either experience cross-linking to a second nucleophile (e.g., Ser115) or give rise to the alpha,beta-unsaturated product and permanent inhibition. Alternatively, the imine can undergo hydrolysis to regenerate the catalytically active OXA-10 enzyme. This last process is the dominant one for class D beta-lactamases since the enzyme is not effectively inhibited. In contrast to sulbactam and tazobactam, the reactions between oxacillin or 6alpha-hydroxyisopropylpenicillinate (both substrates) and OXA-10 beta-lactamase appear much less complex. These compounds lead to a single acyl-enzyme species, the presence of which was confirmed by Raman and MALDI-TOF experiments.     

Lysine carboxylation in proteins: OXA-10 beta-lactamase

An increasing number of proteins are being shown to have an N(zeta)-carboxylated lysine in their structures, a posttranslational modification of proteins that proceeds without the intervention of a specific enzyme. The role of the carboxylated lysine in these proteins is typically structural (hydrogen bonding or metal coordination). However, carboxylated lysines in the active sites of OXA-10 and OXA-1 beta-lactamases and the sensor domain of BlaR signal-transducer protein serve in proton transfer events required for the functions of these proteins. These examples demonstrate the utility of this unusual amino acid in acid-base chemistry, in expansion of function beyond those of the 20 standard amino acids. In this study, the ONIOM quantum-mechanical/molecular-mechanical (QM/MM) method is used to study the carboxylation of lysine in the OXA-10 beta-lactamase. Lys-70 and the active site of the OXA-10 beta-lactamase were treated with B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) density functional calculations and the remainder of the enzyme with the AMBER molecular mechanics force field. The barriers for unassisted carboxylation of neutral lysine by carbon dioxide or bicarbonate are high. However, when the reaction with CO2 is catalyzed by a molecule of water in the active site, it is exothermic by about 13 kcal/mol, with a barrier of approximately 14 kcal/mol. The calculations show that the carboxylation and decarboxylation of Lys-70 are likely to be accompanied by deprotonation and protonation of the carbamate, respectively. The analysis may also be relevant for other proteins with carboxylated lysines, a feature that may be more common in nature than previously appreciated.     

Analysing diversity among beta-lactamase encoding genes in aquatic environments

The most common mechanism of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics is the production of beta-lactamases. These enzymes are encoded by genes that evolve rapidly, thus constituting a group characterized by high levels of molecular diversity. Most of the genetic determinants of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics characterized until now were obtained from clinical isolates. This study was designed in order to exploit the presence of beta-lactamase gene sequences in an aquatic environment, and to get information on the distinctive features of those sequences when compared to others available on databases. DNA sequences potentially encoding proteins of three different families of clinically relevant beta-lactamases were assessed: TEM, IMP and OXA-2 derivatives. The presence of bla sequences in DNA extracted from water samples from the lagoon Ria de Aveiro was checked by PCR and hybridization. Sequences representing the three families of beta-lactamases studied were detected. The molecular diversity of the amplicons was assessed by cloning and sequence analysis, and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) separation. Most of the retrieved sequences (particularly sequences representing bla(TEM)and bla(OXA-2)) were identical or very similar to beta-lactamase gene sequences previously characterized from clinical isolates. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that this aquatic ecosystem is a reservoir of molecular diverse putative bla sequences. The patterns of molecular diversity found within the beta-lactamase gene families studied do not correspond to those reported in studies focussing on clinical isolates.     

Characterization of the gene encoding the beta-lactamase of the psychrophilic marine bacterium Moritella marina strain MP-1

The beta-lactamase gene (mbla) of the psychrophilic marine bacterium Moritella marina strain MP-1 was identified in a previously isolated genomic DNA fragment and it was expressed in Escherichia coli cells. The mbla gene encoded a protein consisting of 287 amino acid residues. Its predicted amino acid sequence showed approximately 50% identity with that of a number of class A beta-lactamases, especially with that of CARB/PSE type of beta-lactamases (carbenicillinases). E. coli transformed with the plasmid containing mbla grew on an ampicillin-containing plate at 37 degrees C but not at 42 degrees C, suggesting that the beta-lactamase of this bacterium is heat-labile.     

Identification of BlaR, the signal transducer for beta-lactamase production in Bacillus licheniformis, as a penicillin-binding protein with strong homology to the OXA-2 beta-lactamase (class D) of Salmonella typhimurium

The blaR gene of Bacillus licheniformis encodes the signal transducer for induction of the class A beta-lactamase. The protein product, BlaR, has a hydrophilic carboxy region that binds beta-lactams and shows high sequence homology to the class D beta-lactamases, particularly the OXA-2 beta-lactamase of Salmonella typhimurium. The BlaR-beta-lactam complex is stable and may provide the continuing stimulus needed for the prolonged production of the enzyme.     

Characterization of a new beta-lactamase gene from isolates of Vibrio spp. in Korea

PCR was performed to analyze the beta-lactamase genes carried by ampicillin-resistant Vibrio spp. strains isolated from marine environments in Korea between 2006 and 2009. All 36 strains tested showed negative results in PCR with the primers designed from the nucleotide sequences of various known beta-lactamase genes. This prompted us to screen new beta-lactamase genes. A novel beta-lactamase gene was cloned from Vibrio alginolyticus KV3 isolated from the aquaculture water of Geoje Island of Korea. The determined nucleotide sequence (VAK-3 beta-lactamase) revealed an open reading frame (ORF) of 852 bp, encoding a protein of 283 amino acids (aa), which displayed low homology to any other beta-lactamase genes reported in public databases. The deduced 283 aa sequence of VAK-3, consisting of a 19 aa signal peptide and a 264 aa mature protein, contained highly conserved peptide segments specific to class A beta-lactamases including the specific amino acid residues STFK (62-65), SDN (122-124), E (158), and RTG (226-228). Results from PCR performed with primers specific to the VAK-3 beta-lactamase gene identified 3 of the 36 isolated strains as V. alginolyticus, Vibrio cholerae, and Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae, indicating the utilization of various beta-lactamase genes including unidentified ones in ampicillin-resistant Vibrio spp. strains from the marine environment. In a mating experiment, none of the isolates transfered the VAK-3 beta-lactamase gene to the Escherichia coli recipient. This lack of mobility, and the presence of a chromosomal acyl-CoA flanking sequence upstream of the VAK-3 beta- lactamase gene, led to the assumption that the location of this new beta-lactamase gene was in the chromosome, rather than the mobile plasmid. Antibiotic susceptibility of VAK-3 beta-lactamase was indicated by elevated levels of resistance to penicillins, but not to cephalosporins in the wild type and E. coli harboring recombinant plasmid pKV-3, compared with those of the host strain alone. Phylogenetic analysis showed that VAK-3 beta-lactamase is a new and separate member of class A beta-lactamases.     

A second regulatory gene, blaR1, encoding a potential penicillin-binding protein required for induction of beta-lactamase in Bacillus licheniformis.

A second regulatory locus (blaR1) required for the induction of beta-lactamase synthesis in Bacillus licheniformis 749 was cloned and sequenced. The gene was located on a 5.2-kilobase-pair SphI DNA fragment which also contained the beta-lactamase (blaP) and repressor (blaI) genes. Bacillus subtilis BD224 carrying these three genes synthesized beta-lactamase on exposure to cephalosporin C, whereas Escherichia coli HB101 carrying the genes did not show any detectable induction of the enzyme. An open reading frame of 1,803 bases was identified as the blaR1 gene by subcloning and DNA sequencing. The gene started 2 bases downstream of the termination codon of bla1 and was preceded by a putative Shine-Dalgarno sequence (AAGGA) with a spacing of 5 bases. The deduced blaR1 product (601 amino acids) had a molecular weight of 68,425. Five transmembrane regions were predicted from the hydrophobicity profile. The region around Phe-Ala-Pro-Ala-Ser-Thr-Tyr-Lys (amino acids 398 to 405), which appeared to be located outside the membrane, was homologous to the binding regions of penicillin-binding proteins, including the beta-lactamases. The segment of 22 amino acids from 400 to 421 showed more than 70% homology to the penicillin-binding region of PBP 2 of E. coli. The blaR1 gene encodes a potential penicillin receptor which is required for the induction of beta-lactamase in B. licheniformis 749.     

Construction by polymerase chain reaction and intragenic DNA probes for three main types of transferable β-lactamases (TEM, SHV, CARB)

Intragenic DNA probes were synthesized by polymerase chain reaction using fragments of the genes of three major types of beta-lactamases (TEM, SHV, CARB) as templates. The TEM probe hybridized with the genes encoding TEM-1, TEM-2 and six extended-spectrum related enzymes (TEM-3 to TEM-7, TEM-2O) in colony hybridizations and Southern-blot analysis. The SHV probe hybridized with the genes for SHV-1, OHIO-1 and four derived extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (SHV-2, SHV-3, SHV-4 and SHV-5). The CARB probe hybridized with the genes for PSE-1 (CARB-2), PSE-4 (CARB-1), CARB-3 and CARB-4. None of the probes hybridized with genes for any of eight oxacillin-hydrolysing enzymes, PSE-2, OXA-1 to OXA-7, ROB-1 and chromosomal beta-lactamases of various Enterobacteriaceae (except Klebsiella pneumoniae) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Investigations of Escherichia coli clinical isolates using these probes indicate the presence of a novel type of extended-spectrum, transferable beta-lactamase.