The penicillin resistance of Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2r results from an overproduction of the low-affinity penicillin-binding protein PBP4 and does not involve a psr-like gene.

A penicillin-resistant mutant, JH2-2r (MIC 75 microg ml(-1)), was isolated from Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 (MIC 5 microg ml(-1)) by successive passages on plates containing increasing concentrations of benzylpenicillin. A comparison of the penicillin-binding protein (PBP) profiles in the two strains revealed a more intensely labelled PBP4 in JH2-2r. Because the sequences of the JH2-2 and JH2-2r pbp4 genes were strictly identical, even in their promoter regions, this intensive labelling could only be associated with an overproduction of the low-affinity PBP4. No psr gene analogous to that proposed to act as a regulator of PBP5 synthesis in Enterococcus hirae and Enterococcus faecium could be identified in the vicinity of pbp4 in E. faecalis JH2-2 and JH2-2r. However, a psr-like gene distant from pbp4 was identified. The cloning and sequencing of that psr-like gene from both E. faecalis strains indicated that they were identical. It is therefore postulated that the PBP4 overproduction in E. faecalis JH2-2r results from the modification of an as yet unidentified factor.

Dimerization and DNA binding properties of the Bacillus licheniformis 749/I BlaI repressor.

In the absence of penicillin, the beta-lactamase encoding gene blaP of Bacillus licheniformis 749/I is negatively regulated by the transcriptional repressor BlaI. Three palindromic operator regions are recognized by BlaI: two in the blaP promoter (OP1 and OP2) and one (OP3) in the promoter of the blaI-blaR1 operon. In this study, the dissociation constant of the purified BlaI dimer was estimated at 25 microm by equilibrium ultracentrifugation. Quantitative Western blot analysis indicates that the intracellular concentrations of BlaI in B. licheniformis 749/I and Bacillus subtilis transformed by a multicopy plasmid harboring the beta-lactamase locus (blaP-blaI-blaR1) were lower than (1.9 microm) or in the same range as (75 microm) the dissociation constant, respectively. This suggests that BlaI is partially dimeric in the cytoplasm of these strains and interacts in vivo with its operators as a preformed dimer. This hypothesis is supported by band shift assays on an operator containing a randomized half-operator sequence. The global dissociation constants of the operator-BlaI dimer complexes were measured by band shift assays and estimated as K(d)(OP1) = 1.7 +/- 0.5 10(-15) m(2), K(d)(OP2) = 3.3 +/- 0.9 10(-15) m(2), and K(d)(OP3) = 10.5 +/- 2.5 10(-15) m(2). The role of the DNA binding properties of BlaI on the beta-lactamase regulation is discussed.

Probing the specificity of the subclass B3 FEZ-1 metallo-beta-lactamase by site-directed mutagenesis.

The subclass B3 FEZ-1 beta-lactamase produced by Fluoribacter (Legionella) gormanii is a Zn(II)-containing enzyme that hydrolyzes the beta-lactam bond in penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems. FEZ-1 has been extensively studied using kinetic, computational modeling and x-ray crystallography. In an effort to probe residues potentially involved in substrate binding and zinc binding, five site-directed mutants of FEZ-1 (H121A, Y156A, S221A, N225A, and Y228A) were prepared and characterized using metal analyses and steady state kinetics. The activity of H121A is dependent on zinc ion concentration. The H121A monozinc form is less active than the dizinc form, which exhibits an activity similar to that of the wild type enzyme. Tyr156 is not essential for binding and hydrolysis of the substrate. Substitution of residues Ser221 and Asn225 modifies the substrate profile by selectively decreasing the activity against carbapenems. The Y228A mutant is inhibited by the product formed upon hydrolysis of cephalosporins. A covalent bond between the side chain of Cys200 and the hydrolyzed cephalosporins leads to the formation of an inactive and stable complex.