Bacterial transpeptidases

P-Lactam antibiotics exert their antibacterial effects via acylation of a serine residue at the active site of the bacterial transpeptidases. Critical to this mechanism of action is a reactive P-lactam ring having a proximate anionic charge that is necessary for positioning the ring within the substrate binding cleft (24). 

The (3-lactam antibiotics structurally resemble the terminal D-alanyl-D-alanine (o-Ala-o-Ala) in the pen-tapeptides on peptidoglycan (murein) (Fig. 45.1). Bacterial transpeptidases covalently bind the (3-lactam antibiotics at the enzyme active site, and the resultant acyl enzyme molecule is stable and inactive. The intact (3-lactam ring is required for antibiotic action. The (3-lactam ring modifies the active serine site on transpeptidases and blocks further enzyme function. 

Recently discovered antitumor monocyclic and bicyclic (3-lactam systems [40-42] are, in general, in good agreement with the phenomenon of azetidin-2-one pharmacophore of inexhaustible pharmacological potential on account of the specific ability of its numerous derivatives to inhibit not only bacterial transpeptidase, but also mammalian serin and cystein proteases [43]. As a measure of cytotoxicity, some compounds have been assayed against nine human cancer cell lines. 

Covalent modifications of the active center Acylation of bacterial transpeptidases by p-lactam antibiotics... 

Transpeptidation, transamidation, a reaction involving the transfer of one or more amino acids from one peptide chain to another. This term was first coined by Fruton, in 1950, by analogy with transglycosidation for the papain-catalyzed displacement reaction between Bz-Gly-NH2 and aniline forming Bz-Gly-NHPh. Of special importance in relation to protease-catalyzed transpeptidation reactions in a preparative scale is the one-step tryptic conversion of porcine insulin into human insulin, despite the controversial interpretation of the mechanism involved. A bacterial transpeptidase, serim-type u-Ala-u-Ala carhoxypeptidase (EC... 

Recent review articles and one monograph provide an excellent survey of research on the mechanism of action and the effect of structural modifications on the antibiotic activity of the j8-lactam antibiotics. The penicillins and cephalosporins are believed to exert their antibacterial activity by irreversible acylation of the bacterial transpeptidase responsible for the final cross-linking step in... 

The antibacterial effectiveness of penicillins cephalospotins and other P-lactam antibiotics depends upon selective acylation and consequentiy, iaactivation, of transpeptidases involved ia bacterial ceU wall synthesis. This acylating ability is a result of the reactivity of the P-lactam ring (1). Bacteria that are resistant to P-lactam antibiotics often produce enzymes called P-lactamases that inactivate the antibiotics by cataly2ing the hydrolytic opening of the P-lactam ring to give products (2) devoid of antibacterial activity. 

The biological activity of penicillins and cephalosporins is due to the presence of the strained /3-lactam ring, which reacts with and deactivates the transpeptidase enzyme needed to synthesize and repair bacterial cell walls. With the wall either incomplete or weakened, the bacterial cell ruptures and dies. 

This insertion is accomplished by an enzyme called transpeptidase. -Lactam antibiotics function as substrates for the transpeptidase, thereby establishing selective inhibition of bacterial cell wall synthesis. The structural similarity between -lactam antibiotics and the alanylalanine unit is remarkable as can be seen in Figure 6.8. 

Figure 6.8 Pendllins are similar to the bacterial peptidogiycan terminal alanylalanine moiety. Because of this similarity, the enzyme transpeptidase recognizes 8-lactam antibiotics as substrate. As a result of this the 8-lactam is incorporated in the peptide chain thereby making peptide-peptide cross-linking impossible. The occurrence of this phenomenon stops the construction of the bacterial cell wall.

The antibiotic activity of certain (3-lactams depends largely on their interaction with two different groups of bacterial enzymes. (3-Lactams, like the penicillins and cephalosporins, inhibit the DD-peptidases/transpeptidases that are responsible for the final step of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis.63 Unfortunately, they are themselves destroyed by the [3-lactamases,64 which thereby provide much of the resistance to these antibiotics. Class A, C, and D [3-lactamases and DD-peptidases all have a conserved serine residue in the active site whose hydroxyl group is the primary nucleophile that attacks the substrate carbonyl. Catalysis in both cases involves a double-displacement reaction with the transient formation of an acyl-enzyme intermediate. The major distinction between [3-lactamases and their evolutionary parents the DD-peptidase residues is the lifetime of the acyl-enzyme it is short in (3-lactamases and long in the DD-peptidases.65-67... 

Kim SH, Shin DS, Oh MN, Chung SC, Lee JS, Oh KB. Inhibition of the bacterial surface protein anchoring transpeptidase sortase by isoquinoline alkaloids. Biosci Biotechnol Biochem 2004 68 421-424. 

Fig. 5.2. Mechanism of transpeptidases in the bacterial cell wall, the target of inhibitory ji-lactam antibiotics (Fig. 5.1, Pathway a)...

Lactamases (EC 3.5.2.6) inactivate /3-lactam antibiotics by hydrolyzing the amide bond (Fig. 5.1, Pathway b). These enzymes are the most important ones in the bacterial defense against /3-lactam antibiotics [15]. On the basis of catalytic mechanism, /3-lactamases can be subdivided into two major groups, namely Zn2+-containing metalloproteins (class B), and active-serine enzymes, which are subdivided into classes A, C, and D based on their amino acid sequences (see Chapt. 2). The metallo-enzymes are produced by only a relatively small number of pathogenic strains, but represent a potential threat for the future. Indeed, they are able to hydrolyze efficiently carbape-nems, which generally escape the activity of the more common serine-/3-lac-tamases [16] [17]. At present, however, most of the resistance of bacteria to /3-lactam antibiotics is due to the activity of serine-/3-lactamases. These enzymes hydrolyze the /3-lactam moiety via an acyl-enzyme intermediate similar to that formed by transpeptidases. The difference in the catalytic pathways of the two enzymes is merely quantitative (Fig. 5.1, Pathways a and b). 

It appears that qualitative correlations between antibacterial activity and rate constants of HO ion catalyzed hydrolysis are fortuitous since many factors other than transpeptidase acylation contribute to antimicrobial activity. These other contributing factors include permeation of the outer membrane of the bacterial cell wall, resistance to /3-lactamase, the fit in the active site of the enzyme, stability of the acylated enzyme, and, last but not least, in vivo pharmacokinetic behavior. 

To be an effective antibacterial agent, a drng mnst inhibit an enzyme that is present in the bacteria bnt not in the host. One well-known example is a transpeptidase involved in cell wall synthesis in some bacteria. Inhibition prevents bacteria from synthesising their cell wall so that proliferation stops. A drng that inhibits this enzyme is the antibiotic, penicillin first nsed in 1941 (see Chapter 17). However, the first dnrg to inhibit bacterial growth was developed from a dye (Box 3.8). 

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