Penicillin amidase

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In enzymology, a penicillin amidase (EC 3.5.1.11) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

penicillin + H₂O ${\displaystyle \rightleftharpoons }$ a carboxylate + 6-aminopenicillanate

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are penicillin and H₂O, whereas its two products are carboxylate and 6-aminopenicillanate.

This enzyme belongs to the family of hydrolases, those acting on carbon-nitrogen bonds other than peptide bonds, specifically in linear amides. The systematic name of this enzyme class is penicillin amidohydrolase. Other names in common use include penicillin acylase, benzylpenicillin acylase, novozym 217, semacylase, alpha-acylamino-beta-lactam acylhydrolase, and ampicillin acylase. This enzyme participates in penicillin and cephalosporin biosynthesis.

As of late 2007, 34 structures have been solved for this class of enzymes, with PDB accession codes 1AI4, 1AI5, 1AI6, 1AI7, 1AJN, 1AJP, 1AJQ, 1CP9, 1E3A, 1FXH, 1FXV, 1GK0, 1GK1, 1GK9, 1GKF, 1GM7, 1GM8, 1GM9, 1H2G, 1JX9, 1K5Q, 1K5S, 1K7D, 1KEC, 1PNK, 1PNL, 1PNM, 2ADV, 2AE3, 2AE4, 2AE5, 2IWM, 2PVA, and 3PVA.

• Sakaguchi K, Murao S (1950). "A preliminary report on a new enzyme, "penicillin-amidase"". J. Agric. Chem. Soc. Jpn. 23: 411.