Geographic distribution of penicillin-resistant clones of Streptococcus pneumoniae: characterization by penicillin-binding protein profile, surface protein A typing, and multilocus enzyme analysis.
Examination of several hundred penicillin-resistant clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae has revealed extensive strain-to-strain variation in the number and molecular size of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). This polymorphism has been used to classify resistant isolates into groups (PBP families) that share distinct electrophoretic profiles. We describe herein properties of four such PBP families: two from Spain (and/or Ohio) and one each from Hungary and Alaska. We have discovered that representative isolates assigned to each PBP family also share capsular serotype, antibiotic resistance pattern, pneumococcal surface protein A type, and multilocus enzyme genotype. The results demonstrate independent clonal origin for strains assigned to each PBP family. Each resistant clone occurs with uniquely high incidence within specific geographic areas.
Munoz
R
R
Laboratory of Microbiology, Rockefeller University, New York, New York 10021.
Musser
J M
JM
Crain
M
M
Briles
D E
DE
Marton
A
A
Parkinson
A J
AJ
Sorensen
U
U
Tomasz
A
A
D000413:Alaska; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D004798:Enzymes / Q000235:genetics; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D006814:Hungary; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000032:analysis; D009820:Ohio; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012703:Serotyping; D013030:Spain; D013045:Species Specificity; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000145:classification* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D004798:Enzymes; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C051592:pneumococcal surface protein A; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase