title: Monooxygenase-like sequence of a Rhodococcus equi gene conferring increased resistance to rifampin by inactivating this antibiotic.
abstract: A DNA clone from Rhodococcus equi conferring low-level rifampin resistance through the ability to inactivate this antibiotic via its decomposition was identified. The iri (inactivation of rifampin) gene consisted of an open reading frame of 1,437 bp encoding a 479-amino-acid sequence strongly resembling those of monooxygenases acting upon phenolic compounds or involved in polyketide antibiotic synthesis. When expressed in Escherichia coli, the gene conferred resistance to a > 50-micrograms/ml concentration of the drug.
authors.affiliation: Genetics Department, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gowan
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Dabbs
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001483:Base Sequence; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016929:Rhodococcus equi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D012293:Rifampin