New benzenesulfonamides incorporating GABA or N-α-acetyl-L-lysine scaffolds as well as guanidine functionalities as water solubilizing moieties were obtained, using 4-aminoethyl/methyl-benzenesulfonamide and metanilamide/sulfanilamide as zinc-binding motives. The new compounds were medium potency inhibitors of the widespread cytosolic human carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isoforms I and II and more effective inhibitors (KIs low nanomolar range) of the bacterial γ-CA from the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis. These sulfonamides may be useful tools for understanding the physiological role of bacterial CAs in pathogenesis of some infectious disease.