title: Cloning and characterization of the endogenous cephalosporinase gene, cepA, from Bacteroides fragilis reveals a new subgroup of Ambler class A beta-lactamases.
abstract: Bacteroides fragilis CS30 is a clinical isolate resistant to high concentrations of benzylpenicillin and cephaloridine but not to cephamycin or penem antibiotics. beta-Lactam resistance is mediated by a chromosomally encoded cephalosporinase produced at a high level. The gene encoding this beta-lactamase was cloned from genomic libraries constructed in Escherichia coli and then mated with B. fragilis 638 for identification of ampicillin-resistant (Apr) strains. Apr transconjugants contained a nitrocefin-reactive protein with the physical and enzymatic properties of the original CS30 isolate. The beta-lactamase gene (cepA) was localized by deletion analysis and subcloned, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The 903-bp cepA open reading frame encoded a 300-amino-acid precursor protein (predicted molecular mass, 34,070 Da). A beta-lactamase-deficient mutant strain of B. fragilis 638 was constructed by insertional inactivation with the cepA gene of CS30, demonstrating strict functional homology between these chromosomal beta-lactamase genes. An extensive comparison of the CepA protein sequence by alignment with other beta-lactamases revealed the strict conservation of at least four elements common to Ambler class A. A further comparison of the CepA protein sequence with protein sequences of beta-lactamases from two other Bacteroides species indicated that they constitute their own distinct subgroup of class A beta-lactamases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville 27858-4354.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D002510:Cephalosporinase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D010957:Plasmids
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D002510:Cephalosporinase