Stenotrophomonas maltophilia D457R contains a cluster of genes from gram-positive bacteria involved in antibiotic and heavy metal resistance.
A cluster of genes involved in antibiotic and heavy metal resistance has been characterized from a clinical isolate of the gram-negative bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. These genes include a macrolide phosphotransferase (mphBM) and a cadmium efflux determinant (cadA), together with the gene cadC coding for its transcriptional regulator. The cadC cadA region is flanked by a truncated IS257 sequence and a region coding for a bin3 invertase. Despite their presence in a gram-negative bacterium, these genetic elements share a common gram-positive origin. The possible origin of these determinants as a remnant composite transposon as well as the role of gene transfer between gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria for the acquisition of antibiotic resistance determinants in chronic, mixed infections is discussed.
Alonso
A
A
Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Campus UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049-Madrid, Spain.
Sanchez
P
P
Martínez
J L
JL
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D056970:Co-Repressor Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005810:Multigene Family; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D020615:Stenotrophomonas maltophilia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C080050:CadC protein, Bacteria; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D056970:Co-Repressor Proteins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D019216:Metals, Heavy; C115841:MphBM protein, Staphylococcus aureus; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C498650:SAP18 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004917:Erythromycin