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Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Anti-virulent Disruption of Pathogenic Biofilms using Engineered Quorum-quenching Lactonases
Published on: January 1, 2016
[Advances in lactamases from microbes--a review]
Jianjun Wang1, Guojun Zheng, Sheng Wu
1Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. wangjj@im.ac.cn
(+) gamma-lactamases are crucial for synthesizing carbocyclic nucleosides via kinetic resolution of gamma-lactams. Further research aims to elucidate the catalytic mechanism and in vivo functions of (+) gamma-lactamase.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Enzymology
Context:
- gamma-Lactamase is an amidase enzyme.
- It plays a key role in the kinetic resolution of racemic gamma-lactam to produce (-) gamma-lactam.
- (-) gamma-lactam is a vital synthon for synthesizing carbocyclic nucleosides.
Purpose:
- To explore the potential of (+) gamma-lactamases in chiral synthesis.
- To understand the catalytic mechanism and in vivo functions of (+) gamma-lactamase.
- To improve gamma-lactamase through protein engineering.
Summary:
- Seven microbial strains producing gamma-lactamases have been identified.
- The crystal structure of (-) lactamase from Aureoacterium sp. revealed similarity to the alpha/beta hydrolase family.
- Structural and mechanistic data for (+) gamma-lactamase are currently lacking.
Impact:
- Provides a foundation for protein engineering of gamma-lactamase.
- Aims to elucidate the catalytic mechanism of (+) gamma-lactamase.
- Contributes to the development of efficient synthetic routes for carbocyclic nucleosides.
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