Beta-Lactamase Activity Colorimetric Assay Kit

Beta-Lactamases (βLs), are a large family of hydrolases comprising more than 850 identified members expressed in Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. βLs can be classified according to their substrate or inhibitor specificity. These enzymes are capable of hydrolyzing four atom rings known as β-lactams. Antibiotics containing β-lactam rings (i.e. penicillin, cephalosporin, monobactam, carbapenem) are highly susceptible to be hydrolyzed via enzymatic activity, which deactivates their antibiotic potency. βLs have become a significant clinical threat due to the alarming number of cases of bacterial strains showing β-lactam antibiotic resistance. BioVision’s Beta-Lactamase Activity Assay Kit offers a simple and sensitive assay that can detect and quantify the enzymatic activity of these hydrolases. The assay is based on the hydrolysis of Nitrocefin, a chromogenic cephalosporin, that results in the generation of a colored product (OD 490 nm), which is directly proportional to the amount of βL activity. The assay can detect enzymatic activity as low as 0.06 mU in a variety of biological samples.