Physiological studies of the regulation of beta-lactamase expression in Pseudomonas maltophilia. |
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| Authors: | S Rosta and H Mett |
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| Affiliation: | Pharmaceutical Division, CIBA-GEIGY Limited, Basel, Switzerland. |
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| Abstract: | The kinetics of beta-lactamase induction in Pseudomonas maltophilia IID1275/873 were investigated. Upon induction with beta-lactam antibiotics, a correlation was seen between the increase in specific beta-lactamase activity and the generation time, as well as the concentration of inducer in the medium. The specific beta-lactamase activity increased slowly within the first 0.5 generation and then more rapidly; it decreased regularly after about 2 generations of growth in the presence of inducer. This decrease could presumably be attributed to the continuous breakdown of inducer by beta-lactamases in the culture medium. In a chemostat culture with continuous supply of fresh inducer-containing medium, the specific beta-lactamase activity could be stabilized at a high level over several generations. Removal of the beta-lactam after a certain induction time showed that a short exposure of the bacteria to inducer caused induction kinetics comparable to those resulting from continuous exposure of the cells to inducer. The two beta-lactamases of P. maltophilia, L1 and L2, were induced simultaneously under various experimental conditions. |
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