JAC Advance Access originally published online on September 14, 2005
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 2005 56(5):856-860; doi:10.1093/jac/dki333
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Published by Oxford University Press 2005
Characterization of the MacAMacB efflux system in Neisseria gonorrhoeae
1 Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA; 2 Laboratories of Microbial Pathogenesis, VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, USA
Received 4 May 2005; returned 12 June 2005; revised 27 July 2005; accepted 17 August 2005
* Corresponding author. Tel: +1-404-728-7688; Fax: +1-404-329-2210; E-mail: wshafer{at}emory.edu
Objectives: A homologue of the MacAMacB ABC transporter of Escherichia coli, which recognizes and exports macrolides, was identified in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. This study was undertaken to determine whether gonococci could use the MacAMacB homologue to express decreased susceptibility to macrolides.
Methods: Techniques of DNA sequencing, gene cloning and expression of recombinant proteins in E. coli, gene mutation construction, transcriptional analysis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing were used in the study.
Results: Although the gonococcal MacAMacB efflux pump enhanced bacterial resistance to macrolides when overexpressed in an E. coli background, its loss in a gonococcal clinical isolate only slightly decreased bacterial resistance to azithromycin and erythromycin. However, a mutation in the 10 sequence of the promoter used in macAB expression enhanced the macrolide resistance of gonococci that produced a defective MtrCMtrDMtrE pump, which also recognizes macrolides.
Conclusions: The results from this study indicate that gonococci can employ both the MacAMacB and MtrCMtrDMtrE efflux pumps to develop resistance to macrolides, particularly if mutations develop in the promoter that drives transcription of macAB.
Keywords: gonococci , macrolides , resistance , efflux , regulation
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