Inhibition of a cold-active alkaline phosphatase by imipenem revealed by in silico modeling of metallo-β-lactamase active sites

► Scaffold recognizing imipenem in a Vibrio alkaline phosphatase (AP). ► Scaffold detected by an in silico analysis. ► Other APs (from E. coli and shrimp) were not inhibited by the tested β-lactams. ► None of the APs had any detectable β-lactamase activity. ► Gain of metallo-β-lactamase activity in APs could result in antibiotic resistance.