Regulation of beta-lactamase induction in gram-negative bacteria: a key to understanding the resistance puzzle.
Infections caused by drug-resistant microorganisms have posed a medical challenge since the advent of antimicrobial therapy. With the emergence of resistant strains, new antibiotics were available and introduced with great success until this decade. The appearance of multiresistant microorganisms pose a real and immediate public health concern. Are we entering into the post-antibiotic era? Will we return to pre-antimicrobial-era conditions, with morbidity and mortality resulting from untreatable infectious complications? The race to stay ahead of multiresistance involves not only continued drug development and selective use but elucidation of bacterial regulation of resistance. One way to ensure continued success of antimicrobial therapy is the identification of new bacterial targets--genes and their products involved in regulating or mediating resistance. Discussion will focus on one well-defined resistance mechanism in Gram-negative bacteria, the chromosomally located amp operon, responsible for one mechanism of beta-lactam resistance.
Niemeyer
D M
DM
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical College of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298-0678, USA.
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000494:pharmacology; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000235:genetics; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D008997:Monobactams / Q000494:pharmacology; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D018440:beta-Lactam Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015780:Carbapenems; D002511:Cephalosporins; D008997:Monobactams; D010406:Penicillins; D001618:beta-Lactamases