A eukaryotic-type Ser/Thr kinase in Enterococcus faecalis mediates antimicrobial resistance and intestinal persistence.

ABSTRACT: Antibiotic-resistant enterococci are major causes of hospital-acquired infections. The emergence of Enterococcus faecalis as a significant nosocomial pathogen is a consequence of its inherent resistance to certain antibiotics and of its ability to survive and proliferate in the intestinal tract. Genetic determinants of E. faecalis conferring these properties are largely unknown. Here we show that PrkC, a one-component signaling protein containing a eukaryotic-type Ser/Thr kinase domain, modulates inherent antimicrobial resistance and intestinal persistence of E. faecalis. An E. faecalis mutant lacking PrkC grows at a wild-type rate in the absence of antimicrobial stress but exhibits enhanced sensitivity to cell-envelope-active compounds, including antibiotics that target cell-wall biogenes

SUBMITTER: Kristich CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1805595 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature