Nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometric assay of beta-lactamase.

Beta-Lactam antibiotics and the crude enzyme were mixed in deuterium oxide and placed in a nuclear magnetic resonance tube. The change of the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum during the enzymatic reaction was then analyzed to determine beta-lactamase activity. By using beta-lactam antibiotics such as penicillins, cephalosporins, and cephamycins as substrates, a comparison of the beta-lactamase activities was made between the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometric assay and the iodometric assay. There was a close correlation between these two methods.