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41900.9656Point Mutations in the folP Gene Partly Explain Sulfonamide Resistance of Streptococcus mutans. Cotrimoxazole inhibits dhfr and dhps and reportedly selects for drug resistance in pathogens. Here, Streptococcus mutans isolates were obtained from saliva of HIV/AIDS patients taking cotrimoxazole prophylaxis in Uganda. The isolates were tested for resistance to cotrimoxazole and their folP DNA (which encodes sulfonamide-targeted enzyme dhps) cloned in pUC19. A set of recombinant plasmids carrying different point mutations in cloned folP were separately transformed into folP-deficient Escherichia coli. Using sulfonamide-containing media, we assessed the growth of folP-deficient bacteria harbouring plasmids with differing folP point mutations. Interestingly, cloned folP with three mutations (A37V, N172D, R193Q) derived from Streptococcus mutans 8 conferred substantial resistance against sulfonamide to folP-deficient bacteria. Indeed, change of any of the three residues (A37V, N172D, and R193Q) in plasmid-encoded folP diminished the bacterial resistance to sulfonamide while removal of all three mutations abolished the resistance. In contrast, plasmids carrying four other mutations (A46V, E80K, Q122H, and S146G) in folP did not similarly confer any sulfonamide resistance to folP-knockout bacteria. Nevertheless, sulfonamide resistance (MIC = 50  μ M) of folP-knockout bacteria transformed with plasmid-encoded folP was much less than the resistance (MIC = 4 mM) expressed by chromosomally-encoded folP. Therefore, folP point mutations only partially explain bacterial resistance to sulfonamide.201323533419
11210.9648Glycopeptide resistance determinants from the teicoplanin producer Actinoplanes teichomyceticus. In enterococci and other pathogenic bacteria, high-level resistance to vancomycin and other glycopeptide antibiotics requires the action of the van genes, which direct the synthesis of peptidoglycan terminating in the depsipeptide D-alanyl-D-lactate, in place of the usual D-Ala-D-Ala. The Actinoplanes teichomyceticus tcp cluster, devoted to the biosynthesis of the glycopeptide antibiotic teicoplanin, contains van genes associated to a murF-like sequence (murF2). We show that A. teichomyceticus contains also a house-keeping murF1 gene, capable of complementing a temperature sensitive Escherichia coli murF mutant. MurF1, expressed in Streptomyces lividans, can catalyze the addition of either D-Ala-D-Ala or D-Ala-D-Lac to the UDP-N-acetyl-muramyl-L-Ala-D-Glu-d-Lys. However, similarly expressed MurF2 shows a small enzymatic activity only with D-Ala-D-lactate. Introduction of a single copy of the entire set of van genes confers resistance to teicoplanin-type glycopeptides to S. coelicolor.200415500981
82620.9646Sequence identity with type VIII and association with IS176 of type IIIc dihydrofolate reductase from Shigella sonnei. An uncommon dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), type IIIc, was coded for by Shigella sonnei that harbors plasmid pBH700 and that was isolated in North Carolina. The trimethoprim resistance gene carried on pBH700 was subcloned and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence of the gene encoding type IIIc DHFR was identical to the gene encoding type VIII DHFR. The type IIIc amino acid sequence was approximately 50% similar to those of DHFRs commonly found in enteric bacteria. Furthermore, this gene was flanked by IS176 (IS26), an insertion sequence usually associated with those of aminoglycoside resistance genes. The gene for type IIIc DHFR was located by hybridization within a 1,993-bp PstI fragment in each of eight conjugative plasmids from geographically diverse strains of S. sonnei. Each plasmid also conferred resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, and sulfamethoxazole and belonged to incompatibility group M. Plasmids carrying this new trimethoprim resistance gene, which is uniquely associated with IS176, have disseminated throughout the United States.19957695291
52430.9643Sulfamethoxazole degradation by Pseudomonas silesiensis F6a isolated from bioelectrochemical technology-integrated constructed wetlands. The antibiotic-degrading ability and mechanism of the bacteria in the novel and ecological bioelectrochemical technology-integrated constructed wetlands (BICW) remain unknown. In this study, the sulfamethoxazole (SMX) degrading strain Pseudomonas silesiensis F6a (F6a), which had high degradation efficiency, was firstly isolated from a substrate sample in BICW. The SMX degradation process of F6a follows pseudo first order kinetics. Four metabolic pathways and twelve degradation products were identified. Based on genomics and proteomics analysis, six key SMX-degrading genes, Gene4641 deoC, Gene0552 narI, Gene0546 luxS, Gene1753 nuoH, Gene0655 and Gene4650, were identified, which were mainly participated in C-S cleavage, S-N hydrolysis and isoxazole ring cleavage. Interestingly, we found the corresponding sulfonamides resistance genes were not detected in F6a, which may provide an evidence for low abundance of the sulfonamides resistance genes in BICW system. These findings would contribute to a better understanding of biotransformation of antibiotic in the BICW.202235636241
82540.9642Attaching effacement of the rabbit enterocyte brush border is encoded on a single 96.5-kilobase-pair plasmid in an enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O111 strain. An enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPE) O111 serotype a,b,H- strain carried the following four plasmids: pLV501 (96.5 kilobase pairs [kbp]) specifying resistance to chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and kanamycin; pLV502 (8 kbp) specifying ampicillin resistance; pLV503 (1.9 kbp) specifying streptomycin resistance; and pLV504 (80 kbp) with no resistance markers. This EPEC attached to HEp-2 cells to produce localized clumps of bacteria (localized adhesion) and attached intimately to the enterocyte surface, leading to loss of the brush border (attaching effacement). Plasmid pLV501 was also found to specify the ability to produce localized adhesion on HEp-2 cells and attaching effacement in a rabbit ileal explant model system. Restriction maps showed considerable dissimilarities between pLV501 and pMAR-2, an EPEC plasmid carrying the EPEC adherence factor (EAF) genes. Furthermore, pLV501 did not hybridize with the EAF probe, whereas pLV504 did. There was sequence homology between pLV501 and large plasmids in all seven other well-characterized EPEC, only five of which hybridized with the EAF probe. These findings indicate that pLV501 carries at least one of the genes responsible for production of the brush border damage characteristic of EPEC.19902182541
40750.9639Molecular cloning and characterization of two lincomycin-resistance genes, lmrA and lmrB, from Streptomyces lincolnensis 78-11. Two different lincomycin-resistance determinants (lmrA and lmrB) from Streptomyces lincolnensis 78-11 were cloned in Streptomyces lividans 66 TK23. The gene lmrA was localized on a 2.16 kb fragment, the determined nucleotide sequence of which encoded a single open reading frame 1446 bp long. Analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence suggested the presence of 12 membrane-spanning domains and showed significant similarities to the methylenomycin-resistance protein (Mmr) from Streptomyces coelicolor, the QacA protein from Staphylococcus aureus, and several tetracycline-resistance proteins from both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as to some sugar-transport proteins from Escherichia coli. The lmrB gene was actively expressed from a 2.7 kb fragment. An open reading frame of 837 bp could be localized which encoded a protein that was significantly similar to 23S rRNA adenine(2058)-N-methyltransferases conferring macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin resistance. LmrB also had putative rRNA methyltransferase activity since lincomycin resistance of ribosomes was induced in lmrB-containing strains. Surprisingly, both enzymes, LmrA and LmrB, had a substrate specificity restricted to lincomycin and did not cause resistance to other lincosamides such as celesticetin and clindamycin, or to macrolides.19921328813
34360.9636Cloning and molecular characterization of three arylamine N-acetyltransferase genes from Bacillus anthracis: identification of unusual enzymatic properties and their contribution to sulfamethoxazole resistance. The arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs) are xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes that catalyze the N-acetylation of arylamines and their N-hydroxylated metabolites. These enzymes play a key role in detoxication of numerous drugs and xenobiotics. We report here the cloning, functional expression, and characterization of three new NAT genes (termed banatA, banatB, and banatC) from the pathogen Bacillus anthracis. The sequences of the corresponding proteins are approximately 30% identical with those of characterized eukaryotic and prokaryotic NAT enzymes, and the proteins were recognized by an anti-NAT antibody. The three genes were endogenously expressed in B. anthracis, and NAT activity was found in cell extracts. The three NAT homologues exhibited distinct structural and enzymatic properties, some of which have not previously been observed with other NAT enzymes. Recombinant BanatC displayed strong NAT activity toward several prototypic NAT substrates, including the sulfonamide antibiotic sulfamethoxazole (SMX). As opposed to BanatC, BanatB also had acetyl-CoA (AcCoA) and p-nitrophenyl acetate (PNPA) hydrolysis activity in the absence of arylamine substrates, indicating that it may act as an AcCoA hydrolase. BanatA was devoid of NAT or AcCoA/PNPA hydrolysis activities, suggesting that it may be a new bacterial NAT-like protein with unknown function. Expression of BanatC in Escherichia coli afforded higher-than-normal resistance to SMX in the recombinant bacteria, whereas an inactive mutant of the enzyme did not. These data indicate that BanatC could contribute to the resistance of B. anthracis to SMX.200717511472
52670.9636Role of rhomboid proteases in bacteria. The first member of the rhomboid family of intramembrane serine proteases in bacteria was discovered almost 20years ago. It is now known that rhomboid proteins are widely distributed in bacteria, with some bacteria containing multiple rhomboids. At the present time, only a single rhomboid-dependent function in bacteria has been identified, which is the cleavage of TatA in Providencia stuartii. Mutational analysis has shown that loss of the GlpG rhomboid in Escherichia coli alters cefotaxime resistance, loss of the YqgP (GluP) rhomboid in Bacillus subtilis alters cell division and glucose uptake, and loss of the MSMEG_5036 and MSMEG_4904 genes in Mycobacterium smegmatis results in altered colony morphology, biofilm formation and antibiotic susceptibilities. However, the cellular substrates for these proteins have not been identified. In addition, analysis of the rhombosortases, together with their possible Gly-Gly CTERM substrates, may shed new light on the role of these proteases in bacteria. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Intramembrane Proteases.201323518036
51980.9636The Ruegeria pomeroyi acuI gene has a role in DMSP catabolism and resembles yhdH of E. coli and other bacteria in conferring resistance to acrylate. The Escherichia coli YhdH polypeptide is in the MDR012 sub-group of medium chain reductase/dehydrogenases, but its biological function was unknown and no phenotypes of YhdH(-) mutants had been described. We found that an E. coli strain with an insertional mutation in yhdH was hyper-sensitive to inhibitory effects of acrylate, and, to a lesser extent, to those of 3-hydroxypropionate. Close homologues of YhdH occur in many Bacterial taxa and at least two animals. The acrylate sensitivity of YhdH(-) mutants was corrected by the corresponding, cloned homologues from several bacteria. One such homologue is acuI, which has a role in acrylate degradation in marine bacteria that catabolise dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) an abundant anti-stress compound made by marine phytoplankton. The acuI genes of such bacteria are often linked to ddd genes that encode enzymes that cleave DMSP into acrylate plus dimethyl sulfide (DMS), even though these are in different polypeptide families, in unrelated bacteria. Furthermore, most strains of Roseobacters, a clade of abundant marine bacteria, cleave DMSP into acrylate plus DMS, and can also demethylate it, using DMSP demethylase. In most Roseobacters, the corresponding gene, dmdA, lies immediately upstream of acuI and in the model Roseobacter strain Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS-3, dmdA-acuI were co-regulated in response to the co-inducer, acrylate. These observations, together with findings by others that AcuI has acryloyl-CoA reductase activity, lead us to suggest that YdhH/AcuI enzymes protect cells against damaging effects of intracellular acryloyl-CoA, formed endogenously, and/or via catabolising exogenous acrylate. To provide "added protection" for bacteria that form acrylate from DMSP, acuI was recruited into clusters of genes involved in this conversion and, in the case of acuI and dmdA in the Roseobacters, their co-expression may underpin an interaction between the two routes of DMSP catabolism, whereby the acrylate product of DMSP lyases is a co-inducer for the demethylation pathway.201222563425
619390.9636Giardia, Entamoeba, and Trichomonas enzymes activate metronidazole (nitroreductases) and inactivate metronidazole (nitroimidazole reductases). Infections with Giardia lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Trichomonas vaginalis, which cause diarrhea, dysentery, and vaginitis, respectively, are each treated with metronidazole. Here we show that Giardia, Entamoeba, and Trichomonas have oxygen-insensitive nitroreductase (ntr) genes which are homologous to those genes that have nonsense mutations in metronidazole-resistant Helicobacter pylori isolates. Entamoeba and Trichomonas also have nim genes which are homologous to those genes expressed in metronidazole-resistant Bacteroides fragilis isolates. Recombinant Giardia, Entamoeba, and Trichomonas nitroreductases used NADH rather than the NADPH used by Helicobacter, and two recombinant Entamoeba nitroreductases increased the metronidazole sensitivity of transformed Escherichia coli strains. Conversely, the recombinant nitroimidazole reductases (NIMs) of Entamoeba and Trichmonas conferred very strong metronidazole resistance to transformed bacteria. The Ehntr1 gene of the genome project HM-1:IMSS strain of Entamoeba histolytica had a nonsense mutation, and the same nonsense mutation was present in 3 of 22 clinical isolates of Entamoeba. While ntr and nim mRNAs were variably expressed by cultured Entamoeba and Trichomonas isolates, there was no relationship to metronidazole sensitivity. We conclude that microaerophilic protists have bacterium-like enzymes capable of activating metronidazole (nitroreductases) and inactivating metronidazole (NIMs). While Entamoeba and Trichomonas displayed some of the changes (nonsense mutations and gene overexpression) associated with metronidazole resistance in bacteria, these changes did not confer metronidazole resistance to the microaerophilic protists examined here.200919015349
110100.9635Resistance to the macrolide antibiotic tylosin is conferred by single methylations at 23S rRNA nucleotides G748 and A2058 acting in synergy. The macrolide antibiotic tylosin has been used extensively in veterinary medicine and exerts potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. Tylosin-synthesizing strains of the Gram-positive bacterium Streptomyces fradiae protect themselves from their own product by differential expression of four resistance determinants, tlrA, tlrB, tlrC, and tlrD. The tlrB and tlrD genes encode methyltransferases that add single methyl groups at 23S rRNA nucleotides G748 and A2058, respectively. Here we show that methylation by neither TlrB nor TlrD is sufficient on its own to give tylosin resistance, and resistance is conferred by the G748 and A2058 methylations acting together in synergy. This synergistic mechanism of resistance is specific for the macrolides tylosin and mycinamycin that possess sugars extending from the 5- and 14-positions of the macrolactone ring and is not observed for macrolides, such as carbomycin, spiramycin, and erythromycin, that have different constellations of sugars. The manner in which the G748 and A2058 methylations coincide with the glycosylation patterns of tylosin and mycinamycin reflects unambiguously how these macrolides fit into their binding site within the bacterial 50S ribosomal subunit.200212417742
6348110.9633Overexpression of cold shock protein A of Psychromonas arctica KOPRI 22215 confers cold-resistance. A polar bacterium was isolated from Arctic sea sediments and identified as Psychromonas artica, based on 16S rDNA sequence. Psychromonas artica KOPRI 22215 has an optimal growth temperature of 10 degrees C and a maximum growth temperature of 25 degrees C, suggesting this bacterium is a psychrophile. Cold shock proteins (Csps) are induced upon temperature downshift by more than 10 degrees C. Functional studies have researched mostly Csps of a mesophilic bacterium Escherichia coli, but not on those of psychrophilic bacteria. In an effort to understand the molecular mechanisms of psychrophilic bacteria that allow it withstand freezing environments, we cloned a gene encoding a cold shock protein from P. artica KOPRI 22215 (CspA(Pa)) using the conserved sequences in csp genes. The 204 bp-long ORF encoded a protein of 68 amino acids, sharing 56% homology to previously reported E. coli CspA protein. When CspA(Pa) was overexpressed in E. coli, it caused cell growth-retardation and morphological elongation. Interestingly, overexpression of CspA(Pa) drastically increased the host's cold-resistance by more than ten times, suggesting the protein aids survival in polar environments.201020169403
118120.9633Trichlorination of a Teicoplanin-Type Glycopeptide Antibiotic by the Halogenase StaI Evades Resistance. Glycopeptide antibiotics (GPAs) include clinically important drugs used for the treatment of infections caused by Gram-positive pathogens. These antibiotics are specialized metabolites produced by several genera of actinomycete bacteria. While many GPAs are highly chemically modified, A47934 is a relatively unadorned GPA lacking sugar or acyl modifications, common to other members of the class, but which is chlorinated at three distinct sites. The biosynthesis of A47934 is encoded by a 68-kb gene cluster in Streptomyces toyocaensis NRRL 15009. The cluster includes all necessary genes for the synthesis of A47934, including two predicted halogenase genes, staI and staK In this study, we report that only one of the halogenase genes, staI, is necessary and essential for A47934 biosynthesis. Chlorination of the A47934 scaffold is important for antibiotic activity, as assessed by binding affinity for the target N-acyl-d-Ala-d-Ala. Surprisingly, chlorination is also vital to avoid activation of enterococcal and Streptomyces VanB-type GPA resistance through induction of resistance genes. Phenotypic assays showed stronger induction of GPA resistance by the dechlorinated compared to the chlorinated GPA. Correspondingly, the relative expression of the enterococcal vanA resistance gene was shown to be increased by the dechlorinated compared to the chlorinated compound. These results provide insight into the biosynthesis of GPAs and the biological function of GPA chlorination for this medically important class of antibiotic.201830275088
117130.9631Acyl depsipeptide (ADEP) resistance in Streptomyces. ADEP, a molecule of the acyl depsipeptide family, has an antibiotic activity with a unique mode of action. ADEP binding to the ubiquitous protease ClpP alters the structure of the enzyme. Access of protein to the ClpP proteolytic chamber is therefore facilitated and its cohort regulatory ATPases (ClpA, ClpC, ClpX) are not required. The consequent uncontrolled protein degradation in the cell appears to kill the ADEP-treated bacteria. ADEP is produced by Streptomyces hawaiiensis. Most sequenced genomes of Streptomyces have five clpP genes, organized as two distinct bicistronic operons, clpP1clpP2 and clpP3clpP4, and a single clpP5 gene. We investigated whether the different Clp proteases are all sensitive to ADEP. We report that ClpP1 is a target of ADEP whereas ClpP3 is largely insensitive. In wild-type Streptomyces lividans, clpP3clpP4 expression is constitutively repressed and the reason for the maintenance of this operon in Streptomyces has been elusive. ClpP activity is indispensable for survival of actinomycetes; we therefore tested whether the clpP3clpP4 operon, encoding an ADEP-insensitive Clp protease, contributes to a mechanism of ADEP resistance by target substitution. We report that in S. lividans, inactivation of ClpP1ClpP2 production or protease activity is indeed a mode of resistance to ADEP although it is neither the only nor the most frequent mode of resistance. The ABC transporter SclAB (orthologous to the Streptomyces coelicolor multidrug resistance pump SCO4959-SCO4960) is also able to confer ADEP resistance, and analysis of strains with sclAB deletions indicates that there are also other mechanisms of ADEP resistance.201121636652
418140.9630Plasmid-mediated mechanisms of resistance to aminoglycoside-aminocyclitol antibiotics and to chloramphenicol in group D streptococci. Genes conferring resistance to aminoglycoside-aminocyclitol antibiotics in three group D streptococcal strains, Streptococcus faecalis JH1 and JH6 and S. faecium JH7, and to chloramphenicol in JH6 are carried by plasmids that can transfer to other S. faecalis cells. The aminoglycoside resistance is mediated by constitutively synthesized phosphotransferase enzymes that have substrate profiles very similar to those of aminoglycoside phosphotransferases found in gram-negative bacteria. Phosphorylation probably occurs at the aminoglycoside 3'-hydroxyl group. Plasmid-borne streptomycin resistance is due to production of the enzyme streptomycin adenylyltransferase, which, as in staphylococci and in contrast to that detected in gram-negative bacteria, is less effective against spectinomycin as substrate. Resistance to chloramphenicol is by enzymatic acetylation. The chloramphenicol acetyltransferase is inducible and bears a close resemblance to the type D chloramphenicol acetyltransferase variant from staphylococci.197896732
8224150.9629Sulfonamide resistance: mechanisms and trends. Sulfonamides were the first drugs acting selectively on bacteria which could be used systemically. Today they are infrequently used, in part due to widespread resistance. The target of sulfonamides, and the basis for their selectivity, is the enzyme dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) in the folic acid pathway. Mammalian cells are not dependent on endogenous synthesis of folic acid and generally lack DHPS. Instead, they have a folate uptake system which most prokaryotes lack. Laboratory mutants in the dhps (folP) gene can be easily isolated and show a trade off between sulfonamide resistance and DHPS enzyme performance. Clinical resistant mutants, however, have additional compensatory mutations in DHPS that allow it to function normally. In many pathogenic bacteria sulfonamide resistance is mediated by the horizontal transfer of foreign folP or parts of it. Clinical resistance in gram-negative enteric bacteria is plasmid-borne and is effected by genes encoding alternative drug-resistance variants of the DHPS enzymes. Two such genes, sul1 and sul2, have been sequenced and are found at roughly the same frequency among clinical isolates. Remarkably, the corresponding DHPS enzymes show pronounced insensitivity to sulfonamides but normal binding to the p -aminobenzoic acid substrate, despite the close structural similarity between substrate and inhibitor. Copyright 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.200011498380
126160.9627Single-gene knockout of a novel regulatory element confers ethionine resistance and elevates methionine production in Corynebacterium glutamicum. Despite the availability of genome data and recent advances in methionine regulation in Corynebacterium glutamicum, sulfur metabolism and its underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly characterized in this organism. Here, we describe the identification of an ORF coding for a putative regulatory protein that controls the expression of genes involved in sulfur reduction dependent on extracellular methionine levels. C. glutamicum was randomly mutagenized by transposon mutagenesis and 7,000 mutants were screened for rapid growth on agar plates containing the methionine antimetabolite D,L-ethionine. In all obtained mutants, the site of insertion was located in the ORF NCgl2640 of unknown function that has several homologues in other bacteria. All mutants exhibited similar ethionine resistance and this phenotype could be transferred to another strain by the defined deletion of the NCgl2640 gene. Moreover, inactivation of NCgl2640 resulted in significantly increased methionine production. Using promoter lacZ-fusions of genes involved in sulfur metabolism, we demonstrated the relief of L-methionine repression in the NCgl2640 mutant for cysteine synthase, o-acetylhomoserine sulfhydrolase (metY) and sulfite reductase. Complementation of the mutant strain with plasmid-borne NCgl2640 restored the wild-type phenotype for metY and sulfite reductase.200515668756
5950170.9627Epidemiological study of sulfonamide and trimethoprim resistance genes in Enterobacteriaceae. Sulfonamide (Su) and trimethoprim (Tp) resistance are known to caused by the production of drug resistant dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), respectively. Sulfonamide and trimethoprim are often used in combination under the name cotrimoxazole. Cotrimoxazole resistance in various enteric bacteria isolated at Ramathibodi Hospital was studied. The rate of resistance from 1984-1989 of many genera was rather constant at 40%-60% except in Shigella spp in which the rate increased rapidly in 1987 till 1989. Seventy-five percent of Su-Tp resistant (Sur-Tpr) bacteria were also found to be resistant to other drugs such as ampicillin, aminoglycosides, tetracycline and chloramphenicol in addition to cotrimoxazole. Two hundred and forty Su-Tp resistant strains were analysed for the presence of type I and II dihydropteroate synthase as well as type I and V dihydrofolate reductase genes by hybridization with the corresponding gene probes. Type I DHPS gene predominated in Su-Tp resistant bacteria at 60.8% whereas type II DHPS was found in only 25%. Some strains (11.7%) had both genotypes but 2.5% did not have any. In the trimethoprim resistance study, the DHFR type I gene was also found more frequently (30%) whereas type V DHFR was only 19%. The remaining of Tp resistance (51%) was unclassified. The coexistence of Su and Tp resistance genes of each type was investigated among 118 Su and Tp resistant strains. It was found that type I DHPS gene was found together with either type I or V DHFR gene and type II DHPS was found with type I DHFR gene at about the same rate (28.9%, 27.1% and 26.3%, respectively). However, the presence of type II DHPS together with type V DHFR was rather low, only 5.9% of isolates were found to have both types of genes.19902237584
114180.9627A novel enzyme conferring streptothricin resistance alters the toxicity of streptothricin D from broad-spectrum to bacteria-specific. Streptothricins (STs) produced by Streptomyces strains are broad-spectrum antibiotics. All STs consist of a carbamoylated D-gulosamine to which the beta-lysine homopolymer (1 to 7 residues) and the amide form of the unusual amino acid streptolidine (streptolidine lactam) are attached. Although many ST-resistance genes have been identified in bacteria, including clinically isolated pathogens and ST-producing Streptomyces strains, only one resistance mechanism has been identified to date. This mechanism involves the modification of the ST molecule by monoacetylation of the moiety of the beta-lysine(s). In this study, we successfully isolated a novel ST-resistance gene (sttH) from Streptomyces albulus, which is a known ST nonproducer. The in vitro analysis of SttH demonstrated that this enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of the amide bond of streptolidine lactam, thereby conferring ST resistance. Interestingly, the selective toxicity of ST-D possessing 3x beta-lysine moiety was altered from broad-spectrum to bacteria-specific by the hydrolysis of streptolidine lactam, although ST-F (1 x beta-lysine) was detoxified by SttH in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes (yeasts). STs have not been clinically developed due to their toxicities; however, in this study, we showed that hydrolyzed ST-D (ST-D-acid) exhibits potent antibacterial activity even when its toxicity against eukaryotic cells is reduced by SttH. This suggests that ST-D-acid is a potential candidate for clinical development or for use as a new lead compound for drug discovery.200616641084
368190.9626Construction and complementation of in-frame deletions of the essential Escherichia coli thymidylate kinase gene. This work reports the construction of Escherichia coli in-frame deletion strains of tmk, which encodes thymidylate kinase, Tmk. The tmk gene is located at the third position of a putative five-gene operon at 24.9 min on the E. coli chromosome, which comprises the genes pabC, yceG, tmk, holB, and ycfH. To avoid potential polar effects on downstream genes of the operon, as well as recombination with plasmid-encoded tmk, the tmk gene was replaced by the kanamycin resistance gene kka1, encoding amino glycoside 3'-phosphotransferase kanamycin kinase. The kanamycin resistance gene is expressed under the control of the natural promoter(s) of the putative operon. The E. coli tmk gene is essential under any conditions tested. To show functional complementation in bacteria, the E. coli tmk gene was replaced by thymidylate kinases of bacteriophage T4 gp1, E. coli tmk, Saccharomyces cerevisiae cdc8, or the Homo sapiens homologue, dTYMK. Growth of these transgenic E. coli strains is completely dependent on thymidylate kinase activities of various origin expressed from plasmids. The substitution constructs show no polar effects on the downstream genes holB and ycfH with respect to cell viability. The presented transgenic bacteria could be of interest for testing of thymidylate kinase-specific phosphorylation of nucleoside analogues that are used in therapies against cancer and infectious diseases.200616461678