The inhibition of staphylococcal beta-lactamase by clavulanic acid.

Clavulanic acid inhibited both the extracellular and cell-extract beta-lactamases of the four Staphylococcus aureus strains tested. The inhibition of S. aureus Russell cell-extract enzyme appeared to be active-site-directed and proceeded in a first-order fashion consistent with the formation of a covalent intermediate. Inhibited enzyme free of excess clavulanic acid was shown to regenerate enzyme activity slowly at pH 7.0, but the rate of reactivation increased at acid pH. When the enzyme was incubated with excess clavulanic acid complete inhibition was rapidly obtained, during further incubation clavulanic acid was shown to disappear slowly and complete loss of clavulanic acid from the reaction mixture coincided with the onset of the return of enzyme activity. A reactive enamine resulting from enzymic hydrolysis of the beta-lactam ring of clavulanic acid has been proposed as a possible intermediate in the inhibitory mechanism.