68Zn isotope exchange experiments reveal an unusual kinetic lability of the metal ions in the di-zinc form of IMP-1 metallo-beta-lactamase.

ABSTRACT

The apparently paradoxical behaviour of facile exchange (kinetic lability) of tightly bound (thermodynamic stability) zinc ions in the enzyme IMP-1 metallo-beta-lactamase with Zn-68 and cadmium ions, as indicated by in-torch vaporization inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ITV-ICP-MS) and electrospray-ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), is consistent with the involvement of a third metal ion in promoting Lewis acid/base type exchange processes.