Inducible Class C Beta-Lactamases Produced By Psychrophilic Bacteria

Only class C beta-lactamases were found to be synthesised by ampicillin-resistant psychrophilic bacteria collected in the Antarctic. Most of them were inducible but the induction factor varied greatly. Even in non-induced conditions, where no lysis occurred, a large proportion of the activity was found in the culture supernatant, an unusual observation with class C producers. (C) 1998 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.