Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (1999) 44, 19-25
© 1999 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
A variety of Gram-positive bacteria carry mobile mef genes
a Department of Pathobiology, Box 357238, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7238, USA b Department of Microbiology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
The mefE gene codes for a membrane bound efflux protein, which confers resistance to
macrolides, and has been identified in Streptococcus pneumoniae. A variety of
Gram-positive organisms were examined. Twenty-six isolates of S. pneumoniae carried mefE and were resistant to erythromycin (MIC of 2-16 mg/L). Two additional isolates of
Em
r S. pneumoniae carried both ermB and mefE (MIC of
16-128 mg/L). One Micrococcus luteus, one Corynebacterium
jeikeium, three Corynebacterium spp., two viridans streptococci and seven Enterocccus spp. also carried mefgenes. It was possible to move the mef
gene
from all 11 S. pneumoniae tested to susceptible S. pneumoniae and/or Enterococcus faecalis recipients. The addition of DNase (1 g/L) did not affect the gene
transfer. It
was also possible to move the mef gene from donor Enterococcus spp.,
viridans
streptococci, M. luteus, C. jeikeium and Corynebacterium spp. to E.
faecalis recipients. Transconjugant isolates were resistant to erythromycin (MIC 
16
mg/L). Hybridization with a labelled mef oligonucleotide probe against Southern blots
and
bacterial dot blots confirmed the presence of the mef genes. This is the first time that a
mobile mef gene has been identified in four different genera, from three distinct
geographical locations.
* Corresponding author. E-mail: marilynr{at}u.washington.edu
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