Effect of EDTA-tris on an Escherichia coli isolate containing R plasmids.
Solutions of ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA)-tris combined with antibiotics have been shown to be effective in treating selected cases of persistent bacterial infections. Basic techniques in microbial genetics, including mating frequencies, chemical elimination of R plasmids, isolation of plasmid DNA and agarose gel electrophoresis, were used to determine if EDTA-tris has a curing effect on an R plasmid as part of its clinical action. Results of this study indicated that EDTA-tris by itself eliminated an antibiotic resistance marker from a clinical isolate of Escherichia coli and when combined with another chemical curing agent altered the isolate's mating frequency.
D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D011815:R Factors / Q000187:drug effects*; D014325:Tromethamine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D014325:Tromethamine; D004492:Edetic Acid