title: A global gene pool for high-level cephalosporin resistance in commensal Streptococcus species and Streptococcus pneumoniae.
abstract: Highly penicillin- and cephalosporin-resistant Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus oralis were isolated in Spain, Hungary, and Berlin. With chromosomal DNA of these strains, resistant transformants of Streptococcus pneumoniae were obtained that expressed low-affinity variants of penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) 2x, 1a, 2a, and 2b in different combinations, depending on the selective conditions. The transformants had cefotaxime MICs of up to 6 microg/mL, and those with a low-affinity PBP 2b were highly deficient in penicillin-induced lysis. Sequence analysis of the pbp2x genes confirmed the presence of a global gene pool of penicillin resistance determinants shared by commensal and pathogenic streptococci.
authors.affiliation: Max-Planck Institut für molekulare Genetik and Krankenhaus im Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reichmann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: König
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liñares
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alcaide
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Tenover
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: McDougal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swidsinski
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hakenbeck
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D001604:Berlin / Q000453:epidemiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000494:pharmacology; D018550:Cephalosporin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D006814:Hungary / Q000453:epidemiology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010403:Penicillin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000235:genetics*; D019533:Streptococcus oralis / Q000235:genetics*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002511:Cephalosporins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; C072223:PBP 2x protein, Streptococcus; D002439:Cefotaxime