Beta-lactamase database (BLDB) - structure and function

Abstract

Beta-Lactamase Database (BLDB) is a comprehensive, manually curated public resource providing up-to-date structural and functional information focused on this superfamily of enzymes with a great impact on antibiotic resistance. All the enzymes reported and characterised in the literature are presented according to the class (A, B, C and D), family and subfamily to which they belong. All three-dimensional structures of β-lactamases present in the Protein Data Bank are also shown. The characterisation of representative mutants and hydrolytic profiles (kinetics) completes the picture and altogether these four elements constitute the essential foundation for a better understanding of the structure-function relationship within this enzymes family. BLDB can be queried using different protein- and nucleotide-based BLAST searches, which represents a key feature of particular importance in the context of the surveillance of the evolution of the antibiotic resistance. BLDB is available online at http://bldb.eu without any registration and supports all modern browsers.

Keywords: Database; antibiotic resistance; beta-lactamase; hydrolytic profile; mutant.

Figure 1.

Global architecture of the Beta-Lactamase Database. In addition to the Home page, there are five main sections, dedicated to Enzymes (classified into the four classes A, B, C and D, and further into the three sub-classes of class B), three-dimensional Structures available in the Protein Data Bank, synthetic Mutants and hydrolytic profiles (Kinetics) described in the literature, and a graphical interface for BLAST queries.