Mycobacterial <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0>-Lactamases: An Overview

Abstract

Despite of four decades of effective chemotherapy, tuberculosis has re-emerged as one of the leading causes of death. Prevention and control of tuberculosis got a great setback by the appearance of multidrug resistant strains of <i>M. tuberculosis. </i>New antibiotic regiments are needed for the treatment of multidrug resistant tuberculosis. <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0>-Lactam antibiotics that inhibit trans peptidase reactions and prevent cell wall assembly in bacteria are the most widely used antimicrobial agents. However, most of the mycobacteria are naturally resistant to <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0>-lactams,presumably because of their extremely hydrophobic cell wall, presence of periplamsic penicillin binding proteins (PPHS) and most importantly the presence of an active <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0>-lactamase.This paper details the various studies on <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0>-lactamasesof <i>Mycobacterium </i>and highlights the importance of <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0>-lactamases,in future, for developing an effective drug combination comprising a <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0>-lactamantibiotic in combination with <img src='/image/spc_char/beta.gif' border=0>-lactamaseinhibitors.