Intrinsic macrolide resistance in Mycobacterium smegmatis is conferred by a novel erm gene, erm(38).

ABSTRACT: High-level, acquired macrolide resistance in mycobacteria is conferred by mutation within the 23S rRNA gene. However, several mycobacteria are naturally resistant to macrolides, including the Mycobacterium smegmatis group and Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize this resistance. Intrinsic macrolide resistance in M. smegmatis was inducible and showed cross-resistance to lincosamides but not to streptogramin B (i.e., ML resistance). A similar phenotype was found with Mycobacterium microti and macrolide-resistant Mycobacterium fortuitum. A search of the DNA sequence data for M. smegmatis strain mc(2)155 identified a novel erm gene, erm(38), and expression analysis showed that erm(38) RNA levels increased >10-fold after a 2-h incubation with macro

SUBMITTER: Nash KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC201133 | biostudies-literature | 2003 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature