Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Gonzalez JM
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3470787 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
González Javier M JM Meini María-Rocío MR Tomatis Pablo E PE Medrano Martín Francisco J FJ Cricco Julia A JA Vila Alejandro J AJ
Nature chemical biology 20120624 8
A number of multiresistant bacterial pathogens inactivate antibiotics by producing Zn(II)-dependent β-lactamases. We show that metal uptake leading to an active dinuclear enzyme in the periplasmic space of Gram-negative bacteria is ensured by a cysteine residue, an unusual metal ligand in oxidizing environments. Kinetic, structural and affinity data show that such Zn(II)-cysteine interaction is an adaptive trait that tunes the metal binding affinity, thus enabling antibiotic resistance at restri ...[more]