Interplay in the selection of fluoroquinolone resistance and bacterial fitness.

ABSTRACT: Fluoroquinolones are antibacterial drugs that inhibit DNA Gyrase and Topoisomerase IV. These essential enzymes facilitate chromosome replication and RNA transcription by regulating chromosome supercoiling. High-level resistance to fluoroquinolones in E. coli requires the accumulation of multiple mutations, including those that alter target genes and genes regulating drug efflux. Previous studies have shown some drug-resistance mutations reduce bacterial fitness, leading to the selection of fitness-compensatory mutations. The impact of fluoroquinolone-resistance on bacterial fitness was analyzed in constructed isogenic strains carrying up to 5 resistance mutations. Some mutations significantly decreased bacterial fitness both in vitro and in vivo. We identified low-fitness triple-mutants wh

SUBMITTER: Marcusson LL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2714960 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature