Inactivation of the RTEM beta-lactamase from Escherichia coli. Interaction of penam sulfones with enzyme.

The characteristics of the reaction of a number of mechanism-based inactivators of the RTEM beta-lactamase have suggested that a common mechanistic pathway may be followed by many of these compounds. These ideas have been tested by the synthesis and evaluation of some penam sulfones as beta-lactamase inactivators. The sulfones of poor beta-lactamase substrates are, as predicted, potent inactivators of the enzyme. A unique serin residue (Ser-70) is labeled by quinacillin sulfone, and it is likely that this serine acts nucleophilically in the normal hydrolytic reaction of the beta-lactamase to form an acyl-enzyme intermediate.