Screen Quest(TM) Beta-Lactamase Inhibitor Screening Kit

The ScreenQuest(TM) Beta-Lactamase Inhibitor Screening Kit is a precise and robust assay specifically designed for high-throughput screening (HTS) of beta-lactamase inhibitors. The assay quantifies beta-lactamase activity by measuring the hydrolysis of nitrocefin, a chromogenic cephalosporin substrate. Hydrolysis of nitrocefin by beta-lactamase yields a colorimetric product with an absorbance maximum at 490 nm (A490), which is directly proportional to enzymatic activity. The assay is optimized for enzymatic studies and is fully compatible with automated HTS platforms, enabling reproducible, high-throughput workflows. This kit provides a reliable approach for identifying and characterizing beta-lactamase inhibitors, supporting research into antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, and the development of novel therapeutic agents. beta-Lactamase originally described as penicillinase in Escherichia coli, has been identified in a wide range of bacterial species. These enzymes hydrolyze the beta-lactam ring present in antibiotics such as penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems, effectively inactivating their antimicrobial properties. This enzymatic activity represents a major mechanism of bacterial resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics, complicating the treatment of bacterial infections and emphasizing the need for innovative strategies to inhibit beta-lactamase function.