Rogers, Marc B.Parker, Anita C.Smith, C. Jeffrey2011-04-282011-05-172011-04-282011-05-171993-11Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy; 37:11 p. 2391-2400http://hdl.handle.net/10342/3372Bacteroides frgiglis 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 13-lactamase-deficient mutant strain of B. fiugilis 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. Originally published Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, Vol. 37, No. 11, Nov 1993en-USAuthor notified of opt-out rights by Cammie Jennings prior to upload of this article.Bacteroides fragilisBeta-lactamaseCephalosporinaseArticlePMC19239710.1128/AAC.37.11.2391