Cover Feature: How Clavulanic Acid Inhibits Serine β‐Lactamases (ChemBioChem 22/2024)

Clavulanic acid is a densely functionalized low mass (C8H9NO5) drug, which is used to protect penicillins and other β-lactam antibiotics from hydrolysis by serine β-lactamases. As shown by detailed mass spectrometric analyses, clavulanic acid reacts covalently with serine β-lactamase to form an initial acyl-enzyme complex which, like the analogous complex formed with β-lactam antibiotics, can undergo hydrolysis. In the case of clavulanic acid, however, the acyl-enzyme complex also undergoes competing fragmentation to give inhibitory complexes stable to hydrolysis. More details can be found in article 10.1002/cbic.202400280 by Christopher J. Schofield and co-workers.