Characterization of four beta-lactamases produced by Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus produces four types of beta-lactamase (A, B, C, and D). To investigate the effect of specific beta-lactamase type upon staphylococcal resistance, each beta-lactamase was purified to homogeneity, and the Michaelis constants (Km values) and turnover numbers (kcat values) for various penicillin and cephalosporin substrates were determined. Whereas Km values of the four beta-lactamases were comparable for penicillin G, cephalothin, and cefamandole, the type A and D enzymes exhibited greater affinity than the type B and C beta-lactamases for nitrocefin, cefazolin, and cephapirin. Conversely, the type B and C beta-lactamases exhibited greater kcat values than the type A and D enzymes against most of the cephalosporin agents, excluding nitrocefin. In contrast to earlier reports suggesting that the type B beta-lactamase is relatively inefficient in hydrolyzing penicillin G, we found only minor differences in the specific activities and kcat values of the type A, B, and C beta-lactamases. The type D beta-lactamase was distinctly less active against penicillin G, however, exhibiting only 15 to 25% of the kcat values of the other beta-lactamases. More than a 2,000-fold difference between the relative efficiencies of hydrolysis (kcat/Km) of cefazolin and cefuroxime by the type A beta-lactamase exists. This greatly exceeds the 60-fold difference in the stability of penicillin G and cefazolin with the same enzyme. Whereas the isoelectric points of the type A, B, and C beta-lactamases were similar, the value for the type D beta-lactamase was distinguishably lower (10.1 for types A, B, and C and 9.7 for type D). We conclude that marked differences in the stability of commonly used beta-lactams to hydrolysis by the staphylococcal beta-lactamases are present. This heterogeneity and the clinical implication thereof need to be considered in the antibiotic management of staphylococcal infection.