skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Biological characterization of a new radioactive labeling reagent for bacterial penicillin-binding proteins

Journal Article · · Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy; (USA)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1128/AAC.34.5.718· OSTI ID:6642412

Radiolabeled penicillin G is widely used as the imaging agent in penicillin-binding protein (PBP) assays. The disadvantages of most forms of labeled penicillin G are instability on storage and the long exposure times usually required for autoradiography or fluorography of electrophoretic gels. We investigated the utility of radioiodinated penicillin V as an alternative reagent. Radioiodination of p-(trimethylstannyl)penicillin V with ({sup 125}I)Na, using a modification of the chloramine-T method, is simple, high yielding, and site specific. We demonstrated the general equivalence of commercially obtained ({sup 3}H)penicillin G and locally synthesized ({sup 125}I)penicillin V (IPV) in their recognition of bacterial PBPs. Profiles of PBPs in membranes from Bacteroides fragilis, Escherichia coli, Providencia rettgeri, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus faecium labeled with IPV or (3H)penicillin G were virtually identical. Use of IPV as the imaging agent in competition experiments for determination of the affinities of various beta-lactam antibiotics for the PBPs of E. coli yielded results similar to those obtained in experiments with ({sup 3}H)penicillin G. Dried electrophoretic gels from typical PBP experiments, using IPV at 37.3 Ci/mmol and 30 micrograms/ml, exposed X-ray film in 8 to 24 h. The stability of IPV on storage at 4{degrees}C was inversely proportional to specific activity. At 37.3 Ci/mmol and 60 micrograms/ml, IPV retained useful activity for at least 60 days at 4{degrees}C. IPV represents a practical and stable reagent for rapid PBP assays.

OSTI ID:
6642412
Journal Information:
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy; (USA), Vol. 34:5; ISSN 0066-4804
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English