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Identification of group specific motifs in beta-lactamase family of proteins.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Beta-lactamases are one of the most serious threats to public health. In order to combat this threat we need to study the molecular and functional diversity of these enzymes and identify signatures specific to these enzymes. These signatures will enable us to develop inhibitors and diagnostic probes specific to lactamases. The existing classification of beta-lactamases was developed nearly 30 years ago when few lactamases were available. DLact database contain more than 2000 beta-lactamase, which can be used to study the molecular diversity and to identify signatures specific to this family. METHODS: A set of 2020 beta-lactamase proteins available in the DLact database http://59.160.102.202/DLact were classified using graph-based clustering of Best Bi-Directional Hits. Non-redundant (> 90 percent identical) protein sequences from each group were aligned using T-Coffee and annotated using information available in literature. Motifs specific to each group were predicted using PRATT program. RESULTS: The graph-based classification of beta-lactamase proteins resulted in the formation of six groups (Four major groups containing 191, 726, 774 and 73 proteins while two minor groups containing 50 and 8 proteins). Based on the information available in literature, we found that each of the four major groups correspond to the four classes proposed by Ambler. The two minor groups were novel and do not contain molecular signatures of beta-lactamase proteins reported in literature. The group-specific motifs showed high sensitivity (> 70%) and very high specificity (> 90%). The motifs from three groups (corresponding to class A, C and D) had a high level of conservation at DNA as well as protein level whereas the motifs from the fourth group (corresponding to class B) showed conservation at only protein level. CONCLUSION: The graph-based classification of beta-lactamase proteins corresponds with the classification proposed by Ambler, thus there is no need for formulating a new classification. However, further characterization of two small groups may require updating the existing classification scheme. Better sensitivity and specificity of group-specific motifs identified in this study, as compared to PROSITE motifs, and their proximity to the active site indicates that these motifs represents group-specific signature of beta-lactamases and can be further developed into diagnostics and therapeutics.

SUBMITTER: Singh R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2793256 | biostudies-literature | 2009

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Identification of group specific motifs in beta-lactamase family of proteins.

Singh Reema R Saxena Akansha A Singh Harpreet H

Journal of biomedical science 20091203

<h4>Background</h4>Beta-lactamases are one of the most serious threats to public health. In order to combat this threat we need to study the molecular and functional diversity of these enzymes and identify signatures specific to these enzymes. These signatures will enable us to develop inhibitors and diagnostic probes specific to lactamases. The existing classification of beta-lactamases was developed nearly 30 years ago when few lactamases were available. DLact database contain more than 2000 b ...[more]

PMID: 19954553

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Project description:The human society faces a serious problem due to the widespread resistance to antibiotics in clinical practice. Most antibiotic biosynthesis gene clusters in actinobacteria contain genes for intrinsic self-resistance to the produced antibiotics, and it has been proposed that the antibiotic resistance genes in pathogenic bacteria originated in antibiotic-producing microorganisms. The model actinobacteria Streptomyces clavuligerus produces the β-lactam antibiotic cephamycin C, a class A β-lactamase, and the β lactamases inhibitor clavulanic acid, all of which are encoded in a gene supercluster; in addition, it synthesizes the β-lactamase inhibitory protein BLIP. The secreted clavulanic acid has a synergistic effect with the cephamycin produced by the same strain in the fight against competing microorganisms in its natural habitat. High levels of resistance to cephamycin/cephalosporin in actinobacteria are due to the presence (in their β-lactam clusters) of genes encoding PBPs which bind penicillins but not cephalosporins. We have revised the previously reported cephamycin C and clavulanic acid gene clusters and, in addition, we have searched for novel β-lactam gene clusters in protein databases. Notably, in S. clavuligerus and Nocardia lactamdurans, the β-lactamases are retained in the cell wall and do not affect the intracellular formation of isopenicillin N/penicillin N. The activity of the β-lactamase in S. clavuligerus may be modulated by the β-lactamase inhibitory protein BLIP at the cell-wall level. Analysis of the β-lactam cluster in actinobacteria suggests that these clusters have been moved by horizontal gene transfer between different actinobacteria and have culminated in S. clavuligerus with the organization of an elaborated set of genes designed for fine tuning of antibiotic resistance and cell wall remodeling for the survival of this Streptomyces species. This article is focused specifically on the enigmatic connection between β-lactam biosynthesis and β-lactam resistance mechanisms in the producer actinobacteria.

Dataset Information

Identification of group specific motifs in beta-lactamase family of proteins.

Publications

Identification of group specific motifs in beta-lactamase family of proteins.

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