Characterization of aminoglycoside 6'-N-acetyltransferases [AAC(6')] from gram-negative bacteria and Streptomyces kanamyceticus.

Aminoglycoside-6'-N-acetyltransferase [AAC(6') enzymes] from several Gram-negative bacteria and Streptomyces kanamyceticus were purified by affinity and ion exchange chromatography. The different enzymes were characterized by their biochemical properties including molecular weights, isoelectric points, substrate ranges, and pH-optima. These biochemical characteristics were compared to the data for 6'-N-acetyltransferases from other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. All data indicated that the group of AAC(6') enzymes is rather heterogeneous from the biochemical point of view and led us to a new proposal for classification of subgroups.