Characterization of pBFTM10, a clindamycin-erythromycin resistance transfer factor from Bacteroides fragilis.
Bacteroides fragilis TMP10, which is clindamycin-erythromycin resistant (Clnr) and tetracycline resistant (Tetr), contains several plasmids and is capable of transferring drug resistance markers to suitable recipients. We were able to separate a 14.6-kilobase self-transmissible Clnr plasmid, pBFTM10, from the other plasmids of TMP10 in a tetracycline-sensitive recipient strain, B. fragilis TM4000. All Clnr transconjugants acquired an unaltered pBFTM10 and became plasmid donor strains. Transfer is proposed to occur by conjugation since it required to cell-to-cell contact of filter matings and was insensitive to DNase, but sensitive to chloroform treatment of donor cells. The efficiency of transfer of pBFTM10 in a Tets background (TM4003) was not affected by pretreatment of donor cells with clindamycin. A spontaneously occurring Clns derivative, pBFTM10 delta 1, suffered a deletion of DNA, which included a 4.4-kilobase EcoRI fragment. A complex interaction between the autonomous plasmid pBFTM10 and a tetracycline transfer element also present in strain TMP10 was observed since pretreatment of this donor with tetracycline or clindamycin resulted in a marked increase in transfer of both tetracycline and clindamycin resistance.
D001441:Bacteroides fragilis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011815:R Factors; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000494:pharmacology
D002981:Clindamycin; D004917:Erythromycin; D013752:Tetracycline