Understanding and overcoming aminoglycoside resistance caused by N-6′-acetyltransferase

Abstract

Aminoglycosides occupy a special niche amongst antibiotics in part because of their broad spectrum of action. Bacterial resistance is however threatening to render these drugs obsolete. A significant amount of work has been devoted to understand and overcome aminoglycoside resistance. This mini-review will discuss aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AMEs), with a special emphasis on the efforts to comprehend and block resistance caused by aminoglycoside 6′-N-acetyltransferase (AAC(6′)).