INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ACTIVE-SITE SERINE BETA-LACTAMASES AND SO-CALLEDBETA-LACTAMASE-STABLE ANTIBIOTICS KINETIC AND MOLECULAR MODELING STUDIES

The interactions between imipenem and four monobactams and three class A beta-lactamases have been studied in detail. Despite their reputati on as being beta-lactamase-stable, some of these compounds were signif icantly hydrolysed by the enzymes. The results obtained with the Strep tomyces albus G beta-lactamase have been analysed in the light of mole cular modelling studies. The discussion is extended to include other s o-called beta-lactamase-stable antibiotics to demonstrate that this ap pellation can often be misleading.