Resistance to apramycin in Escherichia coli isolated from animals: detection of a novel aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme

The mechanisms of resistance to apramycin of five isolates of Escherichia coli from animals were investigated. Three isolates, which were resistant to all the aminoglycosides tested, did not transfer their resistance and did not produce aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes. The fourth isolate, which was resistant to apramycin, tobramycin, gentamicin, kanamycin and neomycin but not to amikacin, owed its resistance to production of the acetyltransferase AAC(3)IV. The gene specifying this enzyme was carried on a transposon, Tn800, on a plasmid designated R1535. The fifth isolate was resistant to apramycin, neomycin and kanamycin but not to gentamicin, tobramycin or amikacin. It produced an acetyltransferase that readily acetylated only apramycin, neomycin and paromomycin, a compound that is closely related to neomycin. Synthesis of this enzyme was specified by a chromosomal gene located near pyrD at about 20 min on the map of the E. coli K12 chromosome.     

Cloning of aacC2 gene from a clinical strain of Escherichia coli

The 2.3-kb Hind-III fragment containing the gentamicin resistance aacC2 gene was cloned from a clinical strain of E. coli with the aminoglycoside resistance pattern indicative of ++aminoglycoside acetyltransferase AAC (3)-II. An approach based on the phenomenon of the replicon dissociation of high molecular weight plasmids was applied. The restriction map of the cloned fragment was constructed. It was shown by subcloning the fragment that the aacC2 gene was localized within the 1.1-kb Alu I-Sal I fragment.     

Relative Distribution and Conservation of Genes Encoding Aminoglycoside-Modifying Enzymes in Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhimurium Phage Type DT104

PCR was used to identify genes encoding aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes in 422 veterinary isolates of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium. The identities of extra-integron genes encoding resistance to streptomycin, gentamicin, kanamycin, and apramycin were evaluated. Gentamicin resistance was conferred by the aadB gene. Kanamycin resistance was encoded by either the aphA1-Iab gene or the Kn gene. Apramycin resistance was determined by the aacC4 gene. Analysis of gene distribution did not reveal significant differences with regard to phage type, host species, or region except for the Kn gene, which was found mostly in nonclinical isolates. The data from this study indicate that pentaresistant DT104 does not acquire extra-integron genes in species- or geography-related foci, which supports the hypothesis that clonal expansion is the method of spread of this organism.     

Completion of the nucleotide sequence of the central region of Tn5 confirms the presence of three resistance genes.

The DNA sequence of the region located downstream from the kanamycin resistance gene of Tn5 up to the right inverted repeat IS50R has been determined. This completes the determination of the sequence of Tn5 which is 5818 bp long. The 2.7 Kb central region contains three resistance genes: the kanamycin-neomycin resistance gene, a gene coding for resistance to CL990 an antimitotic-antibiotic compound of the bleomycin family and a third gene that confers streptomycin resistance in some bacterial species but is cryptic in E. coli. A Tn5* mutant able to express streptomycin resistance in E. coli was isolated. With this mutant, it was demonstrated that in E. coli the expression of the three resistance genes is coordinated in a single operon.     

A plasmid-encoded class 1 integron carrying sat, a putative phosphoserine phosphatase gene and aadA2 from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli O159 isolated in Japan

A class 1 integron was detected in a single multidrug-resistant strain of enterotoxigenice Escherichia coli (ETEC) O159 after examination of 23 clinical E. coli isolates. This isolate was resistant to streptomycin, kanamycin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol and ampicillin. Sequencing of the class 1 integron identified three-gene cassettes. The first is the streptothricin acetyltransferase gene, sat, which confers resistance to streptothricin. The second is an ORF whose product is a putative phosphoserine phosphatase (PSP), and the last is an aminoglycoside adenyltransferase gene, aadA2, which confers resistance to streptomycin and spectinomycin. The putative PSP gene product was found to be 39%, 38%, 28%, and 27% identical to PSP gene products of Vibrio vulnificus CMCP6, V. vulnificus YJ016, Pseudomonas syringae, and P. aeruginosa, respectively. Southern-blot hybridization showed that this integron is located on a 90 kb plasmid. This is the first report identifying a putative PSP gene in an integron.     

Sites of action of two ribosomal RNA methylases responsible for resistance to aminoglycosides

Methylation of either of two residues (G-1405 or A-1408) within bacterial 16 S ribosomal RNA results in high level resistance to specific combinations of aminoglycoside antibiotics. The product of a gene that originated in Micromonospora purpurea (an actinomycete that produces gentamicin) gives resistance to kanamycin plus gentamicin by converting residue G-1405 to 7-methylguanosine. Resistance to kanamycin plus apramycin results from conversion of residue A-1408 to 1-methyladenosine catalysed by the product of a gene from Streptomyces tenjimariensis.     

Construction of a promoter-probe shuttle vector for Escherichia coli and brevibacteria

We constructed a promoter-probe vector, pJUP05, for brevibacteria and Escherichia coli based on the promoterless neomycin-resistance (neoR) gene from Tn5. This gene confers resistance to the aminoglycosides, kanamycin and neomycin. The promoter of the neoR gene was deleted and replaced by a suitable multiple cloning site. There are translation stop codons in all three reading frames upstream from the neoR gene. The plasmid contains functional origins of DNA replication for both brevibacteria and E. coli, and permits selection for chloramphenicol- and/or ampicillin-resistance markers.     

Apramycin resistance as a selective marker for gene transfer in mycobacteria.

We have explored the potential of using the apramycin resistance gene as a marker in mycobacterial gene transfer studies. Shuttle plasmids available for both electroporation and conjugation studies have been constructed, and we have successfully validated the use of the apramycin resistance gene as a component of cloning vectors for Mycobacterium smegmatis, M. bovis BCG, and M. tuberculosis.     

Comparative study of apramycin-resistant microorganisms isolated from man and animals

Apramycin-modifying strains isolated from pigs with coli bacteriosis, from humans and hospital environment were studied comparatively. Production of enzymes modifying the aminoglycoside was estimated with the radioactive cofactor procedure. E. coli isolates from the animals were phenotypically resistant to apramycin and a number of other aminoglycosides. They produced acetyltransferase AAC(3)IV, phosphotransferase APH(3')(5"), APH(3") and other enzymes. Resistance of the strains to gentamicin was also conditioned by AAC(3)IV since these strains did not produce AAD(2") and AAC(6'). In the resistant strains of E. coli and their transconjugates there were detected plasmids with a relative molecular weight of 60-80 MD. Some of the belonged to the compatibility group I1, the others belonged to the compatibility group H1. Strains of S. marcescens, K. pneumoniae. K. oxytoca and S. aureus isolated from humans and hospital environment were sensitive to apramycin. Only isolates of P. aeruginosa were resistant to this antibiotic. However, all the isolates produced AAC(3)IV. Some of them additionally produced AAC(6'), an enzyme modifying amikacin, kanamycin and other antibiotics and not acetylating apramycin. Almost all the strains produced kanamycin- and streptomycin phosphotransferases. Possible coselection of strains resistant to apramycin and gentamicin using one of these aminoglycosides is discussed.     

Effect of insertional mutation in the cspA gene encoding the major cold-shock protein on radiation resistance of Escherichia coli

Plasmid pCspA::Km carrying a cloned mutant allele of the cspA gene for the major Escherichia coli cold-shock protein CspA with an insertion of the kanamycin resistance gene cassette from transposon Tn903 into the core region of the coding sequence causes a 2.3-fold increase in radioresistance of wild-type E. coli cells (cspA+). The radioprotective effect of this plasmid is abolished or drastically reduced in mutants recA13 and rpoH15 defective in RecA protein and in induction of the heat-shock protein regulon, respectively. Plasmid pCspA::Km causes a 1.3-fold elevation in the resistance to gamma-irradiation of E. coli mutants with an intermediate level of radioresistance (Gamr445 and KS0160) but slightly diminishes resistance of a highly radiation-resistant Gamr445 mutant. In the chromosome of E. coli with normal DNA repair systems, the cspA::Km mutation in the homozygous state enhances resistance to the lethal effect of gamma-rays and UV light 2.9 and 1.4 times, respectively. These data suggest that the system of cold-shock proteins can modulate resistance of E. coli cells to the lethal effect of gamma-rays and UV light.     

PCR-寻靶体系构建棒状链霉菌lat基因插入突变的重组质粒pELA

本实验将PCR所得的1.8kb的lat基因片段插入到pUCm-T载体的多克隆位点,得到重组质粒pUCm-T-lat,经EcoRI-HindⅢ双酶切后得到lat基因片段,与经同样双酶切的穿梭质粒pGH112进行连接,得到重组质粒pGH112-lat。将其电转至大肠杆菌E.coli BW25113/pIJ790中得到E.coli BW25113/pIJ790/pGH112-lat。同时,根据棒状链霉菌lat基因的序列及质粒pIJ77(3 pIJ773为可提供阿泊拉抗性的模板质粒)中阿泊拉抗性基因(aac(3)iv)的序列设计一对长59nt及58nt的引物,两引物分别含有20nt及19nt的阿泊拉抗性基因的互补序列和39nt的lat基因两端的互补序列,以质粒pIJ773为模板,PCR扩增得到的产物为两端带有lat基因上下游同源序列的阿泊拉抗性基因,将此PCR产物称为阿泊拉抗性框,将此阿泊拉抗性框电转至E.coli BW25113/pIJ790/pGH112-lat转化子中。在质粒pIJ790的作用下,阿泊拉抗性框中两端的lat基因同源序列与pGH112-lat中的野生型lat基因发生同源双交换,使得阿泊拉抗性框插入lat基因中,得到lat基因中插入阿泊拉抗性基因(lat::apr)的重组质粒pELA。该质粒的构建为进一步构建棒状链霉菌lat基因插入阻断的突变株,从而实现克拉维酸产量的提高奠定了初步基础。     

Amikacin resistance of clinical strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas]

Amikacin resistance was studied in 380 bacterial strains of Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Serratia, Pseudomonas and E. coli isolated in clinics of the Moscow Region. It was shown that 69 isolates were resistant to amikacin. Plasmid DNA was detected in 10 amikacin resistant isolates. Three of them belonging to Klebsiella and 3 belonging to E. coli contained plasmids controlling resistance to amikacin. The plasmids isolated from the strains of Klebsiella determined as well resistance to kanamycin and streptomycin but did not control resistance to sisomicin, tobramycin and gentamicin while the plasmids isolated from the strains of E. coli determined resistance to amikacin, kanamycin, gentamicin, tobramycin and sisomicin.     

Characterization of the sppA gene coding for protease IV, a signal peptide peptidase of Escherichia coli.

The sppA gene codes for protease IV, a signal peptide peptidase of Escherichia coli. Using the gene cloned on a plasmid, we constructed an E. coli strain carrying the ampicillin resistance gene near the chromosomal sppA gene and an sppA deletion strain in which the deleted portion was replaced by the kanamycin resistance gene. Using these strains, we mapped the sppA gene at 38.5 min on the chromosome, the gene order being katE-xthA-sppA-pncA. Although digestion of the signal peptide that accumulated in the cell envelope fraction was considerably slower in the deletion mutant than in the sppA+ strain, it was still significant, suggesting the participation of another envelope protease(s) in signal peptide digestion.     

Method for selection of transposable DNA and characterization of a new insertion sequence, IS493, from Streptomyces lividans.

A method to select for transposable elements from Streptomyces spp. by using insertional inactivation of a repressor gene that functions in Escherichia coli was developed. Plasmid pCZA126, which can replicate in Streptomyces spp. or E. coli, contains a gene coding for the lambda cI857 repressor and a gene, under repressor control, coding for apramycin resistance. E. coli cells containing the plasmid are apramycin sensitive but become apramycin resistant if the cI857 repressor gene is disrupted. Plasmids propagated in Streptomyces spp. can be screened for transposable elements that have disrupted the cI857 gene by transforming E. coli cells to apramycin resistance. This method was used to isolate a new 1.6-kilobase insertion sequence, IS493, from Streptomyces lividans CT2. IS493 duplicated host DNA at the target site, had inverted repeats at its ends, and contained two tandem open reading frames on each strand. IS493 was present in three copies in the same genomic locations in several S. lividans strains. Two of the copies appeared to be present in regions of similar DNA context that extended at least 11.5 kilobases. Several other Streptomyces spp. did not appear to contain copies of IS493.     

An nptI-sacB-sacR cartridge for constructing directed, unmarked mutations in gram-negative bacteria by marker exchange-eviction mutagenesis

A technique for marker exchange-eviction mutagenesis that enables the construction of directed, unmarked mutations in Gram-negative bacteria was demonstrated in Erwinia chrysanthemi. The technique employs an nptI-sacB-sacR cartridge that is carried on a 3.8-kb BamHI fragment and confers kanamycin (Km) resistance and sucrose sensitivity (due to the production of levansucrase by sacB) in E. chrysanthemi. The cartridge was inserted into a Sau3A site in a cloned E. chrysanthemi pelC gene (encoding pectate lyase isozyme PLc) and then introduced into the Erwinia genome by gene exchange recombination. The resulting mutant was KmR, sucrose-sensitive, and PLc-deficient. The cartridge was then excised from the plasmid-borne pelC gene by PstI cleavage to leave a 28-bp frame-shifting insertion. The pelC allele containing the 28-bp insertion was exchanged for the chromosomal allele containing the nptI-sacB-sacR cartridge by selection for sucrose tolerance. The resulting E. chrysanthemi mutant was Kms and PLc-deficient. The technique permits the construction of complex strains with many directed mutations without the introduction of a corresponding number of antibiotic resistance markers and should prove useful, for example, in exploring the role of the multiple pel genes in E. chrysanthemi.     

Two versatile shuttle vectors for Thermus thermophilus-Escherichia coli containing multiple cloning sites, lacZα gene and kanamycin or hygromycin resistance marker

Two versatile shuttle vectors for Thermus thermophilus and Escherichia coli were developed on the basis of the T. thermophilus cryptic plasmid pTT8 and E. coli vector pUC13. These shuttle vectors, pTRK1T and pTRH1T, carry a gene encoding a protein homologous to replication protein derived from pTT8, a replicon for E. coli, new multiple cloning sites and a lacZα gene from E. coli vector pUC13, and also have a gene encoding a thermostable protein that confers resistance to kanamycin or hygromycin, which can be used as a selection marker in T. thermophilus. These shuttle vectors are useful to develop enzymes and proteins of biotechnological interest. We also constructed a plasmid, pUC13T, which carries the same multiple cloning sites of pTRK1T and pTRH1T. These vectors should facilitate cloning procedures both in E. coli and T. thermophilus.     

Identification and mutagenesis by allelic exchange of choE, encoding a cholesterol oxidase from the intracellular pathogen Rhodococcus equi

The virulence mechanisms of the facultative intracellular parasite Rhodococcus equi remain largely unknown. Among the candidate virulence factors of this pathogenic actinomycete is a secreted cholesterol oxidase, a putative membrane-damaging toxin. We identified and characterized the gene encoding this enzyme, the choE monocistron. Its protein product, ChoE, is homologous to other secreted cholesterol oxidases identified in Brevibacterium sterolicum and Streptomyces spp. ChoE also exhibits significant similarities to putative cholesterol oxidases encoded by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae. Genetic tools for use with R. equi are poorly developed. Here we describe the first targeted mutagenesis system available for this bacterium. It is based on a suicide plasmid, a selectable marker (the aacC4 apramycin resistance gene from Salmonella), and homologous recombination. The choE allele was disrupted by insertion of the aacC4 gene, cloned in pUC19 and introduced by electroporation in R. equi. choE recombinants were isolated at frequencies between 10(-2) and 10(-3). Twelve percent of the recombinants were double-crossover choE mutants. The choE mutation was associated with loss of cooperative (CAMP-like) hemolysis with sphingomyelinase-producing bacteria (Listeria ivanovii). Functional complementation was achieved by expression of choE from pVK173-T, a pAL5000 derivative conferring hygromycin resistance. Our data demonstrate that ChoE is an important cytolytic factor for R. equi. The highly efficient targeted mutagenesis procedure that we used to generate choE isogenic mutants will be a valuable tool for the molecular analysis of R. equi virulence.     

基于卡那霉素抗性建立的研究I类内含子结构与功能关系的系统

Ⅰ类内含子（group I intron）是研究RNAs结构与功能关系的理想元件, 在 解释RNA折叠理论、催化机制等方面起着重要作用;对其结构与功能关系的研究也 因此成为一个非常重要的课题. 本研究建立了一个基于卡那霉素抗性进行Ⅰ类内含子结构与功能关系研究系统,将源于海洋蓝细菌Nostoc punctiforme（Npu）核糖核酸还原酶基因（ribonucleotide reductase,Rir）中的1个Ⅰ类内含子插入到pDrive质粒的卡那霉素抗性基因（kanamycin resistance gene,KanR）内构建得pKR12质粒并转化大肠杆菌（E.coli）. 只有内含子剪接的阳性克隆才能生成 KanR蛋白并在Kan抗性平板上生长. 结果显示,pKR12转入E.coli后不能在Kan抗性 平板上生长, RT-PCR检测仅可见前体带, 表明插入到KanR中的Npu Rir内含子没有发生剪接. 随后通过易错PCR建立内含子的随机突变库并用Kan抗性筛选进行定向演化, 产生有剪接活性的内含子突变体, RT-PCR检测显示剪接发生. 由于内含子剪接活性的改变可通过Kan抗性变化在LB平板上得以反映, 因此该系统有望成为简单快速地研究Ⅰ类内含子结构与功能关系的有利工具.     

Analysis of a bacterial hygromycin B resistance gene by transcriptional and translational fusions and by DNA sequencing

We have characterized hygromycin B and apramycin resistance genes from an E. coli plasmid. We have localized the coding and control regions of these genes by deletion of DNA fragments from plasmids containing the genes. It was found that polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 33,000 and 31,500 daltons are encoded by the apramycin resistance gene and polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 42,500 and 41,500 daltons are encoded by the hygromycin B resistance gene. DNA sequence analysis identified a typical promoter sequence upstream of the genes. Deletion of this promoter eliminated both resistance phenotypes, and hygromycin B resistance could be restored by substitution of a promoter from a foreign gene. The region known to be necessary for hygromycin B resistance contained an open reading frame large enough to encode the hygromycin B resistance gene product. This open reading frame was fused with the amino terminus of beta-galactosidase. This hybrid gene conferred hygromycin resistance to E. coli, and expression of resistance was under IPTG control.