Development of a whole-cell biosensor for β-lactamase inhibitor discovery
Mitchell A Jeffs, Rachel A. V. Gray, Prameet M. Sheth, Christopher T. Lohans
Abstract
The production of β-lactamases by bacterial pathogens endangers antimicrobial therapy, and new inhibitors for β-lactamases are urgently needed. We report the development of a luminescent-based biosensor that quantifies β-lactamase inhibition in a cellular context, based on the activation of transcriptional factor AmpR following the exposure of bacterial cells to β-lactams. This rapid method can account for factors like membrane permeability and can be employed to identify new β-lactamase inhibitors.
Topics & Concepts
Context (archaeology)BiosensorAntimicrobialChemistryBacterial cell structureMicrobiologyComputational biologyBacterial proteinBacteriaBiologyBiochemistryGeneGeneticsPaleontologyAntibiotic Resistance in BacteriaBacterial biofilms and quorum sensingBacterial Genetics and Biotechnology