Metallo-beta-lactamase IMP-type (IMP-type MBL)

Metallo-beta-lactamase IMP-type is an enzyme produced by certain Gram-negative bacteria, conferring resistance to a broad spectrum of beta-lactam antibiotics, including carbapenems, penicillins, and cephalosporins. It is a subclass B1 metallo-beta-lactamase, requiring zinc for its catalytic activity, and can efficiently hydrolyze the beta-lactam ring of antibiotics. The IMP-type includes numerous variants, most notably IMP-1, and is encoded by genes that are frequently carried on mobile integron cassettes, facilitating rapid horizontal transfer among bacterial pathogens. These enzymes pose a major clinical threat as they contribute to multidrug-resistant infections and currently lack effective clinical inhibitors, limiting therapeutic options.

Other names

IMP-1IMP-type MBLImipenemaseIMP beta-lactamase

Hydrolysis of the beta-lactam ring in antibiotics, rendering them inactive