title: NSR from Streptococcus agalactiae confers resistance against nisin and is encoded by a conserved nsr operon.
abstract: Nisin is a lantibiotic produced by Lactococcus lactis (L. lactis), which is active against many Gram-positive bacteria. However, in various pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacteria, the presence of a nisin resistance protein (NSR) confers resistance against nisin. Here, we show that NSR from Streptococcus agalactiae (SaNSR) confers 20-fold resistance when expressed in L. lactis. We also show that SaNSR is encoded by an operon structure comprising of a lipoprotein and an ATP-binding cassette transporter as well as a two-component system that is putatively involved in expression and regulation. This organization of the operon is conserved in several (non)pathogenic strains that do not produce nisin themselves.
authors.forename: Sakshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Khosa
authors.forename: Zainab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: AlKhatib
authors.forename: Sander H J
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Smits
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D017124:Conserved Sequence / Q000502:physiology*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology; D013294:Lactococcus lactis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009876:Operon / Q000502:physiology*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; C094910:NisT protein, Lactococcus lactis