Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (11)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Simjee, S.
Right arrow Articles by Gill, M. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Simjee, S.
Right arrow Articles by Gill, M. J.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy (2000) 45, 565-575
© 2000 The British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy

Nature of transposon-mediated high-level gentamicin resistance in Enterococcus faecalis isolated in the United Kingdom

S. Simjeea, S. E. Manzoora, A. P. Fraiseb and M. J. Gilla,*

a Division of Immunity and Infection, The Medical School, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT; b Hospital Infection Research Laboratory, City Hospital, Dudley Road, Birmingham B18 7QH, UK

Forty-two high-level gentamicin-resistant (MIC > 1000 mg/L) strains of Enterococcus faecalis, isolated from diverse geographical locations throughout the UK between 1993 and 1995, were studied to identify the nature of the high-level gentamicin-resistant determinants and the possibility of these determinants being associated with a transposon. High-level gentamicin resistance was attributed to the synthesis of the bifunctional (AAC6'-APH2'') aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme. The aac6'-aph2'' gene, which was present on a 70 kb plasmid in all 42 isolates, could be transferred by conjugation in association with the 70 kb plasmid in 39 of the isolates studied. In three E. faecalis isolates, however, the high-level gentamicin resistance was transferable independent of the 70 kb plasmid, suggesting the presence of a conjugative transposon. Long-PCR studies showed that all 42 clinical isolates harboured a transposon similar to Tn5281, originally identified in E. faecalis strain HH22 isolated in the USA. Restriction endonuclease and Southern hybridization analysis of the UK transposon showed that it is closely related to the high-level gentamicin resistance-conferring transposon Tn5281. However, the UK transposon lacks the HaeIII site identified in Tn5281. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis identified seven different patterns. Further studies with nine restriction endonucleases showed that the aac6'-aph2'' gene was associated with nine different plasmid types in E. faecalis.

* Corresponding author. Tel: +44-121-414-3634; Fax: +44-121-414-3454; E-mail: m.j.gill{at}bham.ac.uk


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.Home page
C.-R. Li, X.-Y. Yang, R.-H. Lou, W.-X. Zhang, Y.-M. Wang, M. Yuan, Y. Li, H.-Z. Chen, B. Hong, C.-H. Sun, et al.
In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Vertilmicin and Its Susceptibility to Modifications by the Recombinant AAC(6')-APH(2'') Enzyme
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., November 1, 2008; 52(11): 3875 - 3882.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
A. Hallgren, B. Saeedi, M. Nilsson, H.-J. Monstein, B. Isaksson, H. Hanberger, and L. E. Nilsson
Genetic relatedness among Enterococcus faecalis with transposon-mediated high-level gentamicin resistance in Swedish intensive care units
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., August 1, 2003; 52(2): 162 - 167.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.Home page
S. Simjee, D. G. White, D. D. Wagner, J. Meng, S. Qaiyumi, S. Zhao, and P. F. McDermott
Identification of vat(E) in Enterococcus faecalis Isolates from Retail Poultry and Its Transferability to Enterococcus faecium
Antimicrob. Agents Chemother., December 1, 2002; 46(12): 3823 - 3828.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Clin. Microbiol.Home page
S. Simjee, D. G. White, P. F. McDermott, D. D. Wagner, M. J. Zervos, S. M. Donabedian, L. L. English, J. R. Hayes, and R. D. Walker
Characterization of Tn1546 in Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Isolated from Canine Urinary Tract Infections: Evidence of Gene Exchange between Human and Animal Enterococci
J. Clin. Microbiol., December 1, 2002; 40(12): 4659 - 4665.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Antimicrob ChemotherHome page
S. Simjee, D. G. White, J. Meng, D. D. Wagner, S. Qaiyumi, S. Zhao, J. R. Hayes, and P. F. McDermott
Prevalence of streptogramin resistance genes among Enterococcus isolates recovered from retail meats in the Greater Washington DC area
J. Antimicrob. Chemother., December 1, 2002; 50(6): 877 - 882.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.