Bacteroides fraglis

The lower female genital tract generally is colonized by a large munber of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobes may number 10 organisms per milliliter and often include lactobaciUi, eubacte-ria, Clostridia, anaerobic streptococci, and less frequently, Bacteroides frag il is. Aerobic bacteria most often are streptococci and Staphylococcus epidermidis, and these may munber 10 organisms per milbliter. 

The metallo-(3-lactamases hydrolyze a series of p-lactam antibiotics, such as penicillin and cephalosporin derivatives. making them harmless to pathogenetic bacteria. Thus, it is important to study the hydrolysis mechanism and prepare a clinically useful inhibitor. According to the three-dimensional structure of a zinc p-lactamase from Bacteroides fraglis, there are two zinc binding sites, where the two zinc ions, Znl and Zn2, are 3.5 A apart and bridged by one hydroxide group and Znl and... 

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