title: The ABCD's of β-lactamase nomenclature.
abstract: β-Lactamases can be named on the basis of molecular characteristics or functional properties. Molecular classes A, B, C, and D define an enzyme according to amino acid sequence and conserved motifs. Functional groups 1, 2, and 3 are used to assign a clinically useful description to a family of enzymes, with subgroups designated according to substrate and inhibitor profiles. In addition, other designations are used to define the functionality of specific subgroups, such as extended-spectrum β-lactamases, or ESBLs, and inhibitor-resistant TEM, or IRT, β-lactamases. None of these systems provides an unambiguous description of this versatile set of enzymes. A proposed classification system involving microbiological, molecular, and biochemical properties is described, based on the traditional classes A, B, C, and D and functional groups 1, 2, and 3 designations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University Bloomington, Simon Hall 102B, 212 S. Hawthorne Dr., Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA. karbush@indiana.edu
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bush
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification / Q000378:metabolism; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001618:beta-Lactamases