01/30/2013

Defeating NDM-1

Summary

The New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM-1) gene makes multiple pathogenic microorganisms resistant to all known beta-lactam antibiotics including carbapenems, which are considered as “last resort” antibiotics. Researchers used the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory to determine the structural basis for NDM-1’s promiscuous activity via a combination of crystallographic and biochemical studies and theoretical calculations that elucidated a pH-dependent set of pathways. Based on these findings, future active drugs can be predicted.

References

Kim, Y., et al. 2013. “NDM-1, the Ultimate Promiscuous Enzyme: Substrate Recognition and Catalytic Mechanism,” The FASEB Journal, DOI: 10.1096/fj.12-224014.