Screening of β-lactamase resistance genes clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and characterization of a new metallo-β-lactamase (VIM-38)

In this dissertation, 104 P. aeruginosa clinical isolates were investigated. According to antibiotic resistance profile, 24 isolates were considered as a multidrug resistant. The presence of beta-lactam resistance gene in all strains evaluated using the PCR method and one of the 104 samples was determined that while the GES other VIM positive. According to DNA sequence analysis revealed that GES is the closest 100% to GES-5, VIM type MBL's is exhibiting one amino acid substitution (Ala265Val) in comparison to the closest 99%, VIM-5. This novel blaVIM variant, named VIM-38 and the nucleotide sequences of the new VIM allel was submitted to the GenBank database and can be found under accession number KC469971. blaVIM-38 cloned into the expression vector pET-28a, protein is purified by Ni-affinity and gel filtration chromatography.Mass spectrometric analysis validated the identities of VIM-5, VIM-38 and confirmed the binding of two or one metal ions for each of the proteins. Under the same experimental conditions, VIM-38 enzyme were performed with detailed kinetic and biochemical characterization of as compared to VIM-1, VIM-2 and VIM-5. Overall, the VIM variants tested showed minimal differences in their catalytic efficiencies towards the tested β-lactam substrates. Cephalothin and nitrocefin were equally hydrolysed by all the tested VIM variants. For cefoxitin VIM-2, VIM-5 and VIM-38 compared to VIM-1 had the lowest kcat/Km values; >6 fold higher. VIM-38 had a ~10 times lowerkcat/Kmvalue for ceftazidime compared to VIM-5. The tryptophan derivatives were shown to have the lowest RA% particularly for VIM-5 and VIM-38. VIM-1 was not inhibited by any of the tested compounds while VIM-2 was only weakly inhibited. The enzymes had very similar CD spectra and secondary structures. VIM-38 and VIM-5 were the most stable variants compared to VIM-1 and to VIM-2.