Clavulanic acid is a drug belonging to the class β-lactam antibiotics containing a beta-lactam ring in its molecular structure. It is biosynthesized as a secondary metabolite and isolated from the bacterium Streptomyces clavuligerus. It functions as a beta-lactamase inhibitor and when combined with penicillin, it can overcome resistance to antibiotics in bacterial pathogens that inhibit other penicillin activity by beta-lactamase secretions. This pathway illustrates the biosynthesis of clavulanic acid by the condensation of D-glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate and L-arginine to first form the intermediate amino acid L-N2-(2-carboxyethyl)arginine; the protein for this reaction is uncharacterized and hence only a prediction. The next reaction from L-N2-(2-carboxyethyl)arginine to deoxyguanidinoproclavaminic acid via the enzyme carboxyethyl-arginine beta-lactam-synthase is the step where the beta-lactam ring is formed. Following this, in a series of reactions catalyzed by the enzyme clavaminate synthase 1, guanidinoproclavaminic acid, proclavaminic acid, dihydroclavaminic acid are synthesized leading to the intermediate clavaminic acid. Clavaminic acid is then reduced for the complete biosynthesis of clavulanic acid via clavaldehyde dehydrogenase. Note: uncharacterized proteins are coloured orange in the pathway.

Clavulanic Acid Biosynthesis References