Outer membrane proteins of gentamicin induced small colony variants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Small colony variants (SCVs) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa NCTC 6750 (WT) were repeatedly isolated in an in vitro kinetic model after exposure to gentamicin (GM). There were minor differences biochemically and in phage and serotyping between the wild type (WT) strain and SCVs. Changes in outer membrane protein profiles were found. SCVs were more resistant to polymixin and to a range of aminoglycosides (except kanamycin), but were more susceptible to a range of other antibiotics (hydrophilic and hydrophobic) with differing modes of action.