What are the natural target of naturally occuring beta lactamase ?

[Ahmed Abdullah]

I have learned that beta-lactamase enzymes have very ancient origin. And they are just tinkered in the recent anthropogenic activity. So some original form must be out there. What are their natural target?

 

[Ygggdrasil]

Remember that penicillin was originally derived from a fungus. There are plenty of organisms in nature that produce antibiotic compounds from which the bacteria need to defend themselves.

 

[Ahmed Abdullah]

Remember that penicillin was originally derived from a fungus. There are plenty of organisms in nature that produce antibiotic compounds from which the bacteria need to defend themselves.

Actually I was looking for a specific example.

 

[bobze]

Actually I was looking for a specific example.

He was specific. Beta-lactamase attacks beta-lactam rings. Which forms the backbone of penicillins produced by fungi. Something bacteria would need to defend themselves against.

If you are asking what was the specific fungi beta-lactam that bacteria evolved beta-lactamases to that is a silly question. Molecules don't fossilize so there is no reason we should expect to ever know the exact ancestral beta-lactam.

 

[Ahmed Abdullah]

He was specific. Beta-lactamase attacks beta-lactam rings. Which forms the backbone of penicillins produced by fungi. Something bacteria would need to defend themselves against.

If you are asking what was the specific fungi beta-lactam that bacteria evolved beta-lactamases to that is a silly question. Molecules don't fossilize so there is no reason we should expect to ever know the exact ancestral beta-lactam.

Sorry you misunderstood me. I wanted to know the name of the species that produce such antibiotic , the bacteria that became resistant to that and the relationship between them. I am not looking for ancestral examples (may be an impossibility, who knows). I am looking for present cases where resistance developed (exist) for non-anthropogenic activity.