The multidrug efflux pump MdtEF protects against nitrosative damage during the anaerobic respiration in Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Drug efflux represents an important protection mechanism in bacteria to withstand antibiotics and environmental toxic substances. Efflux genes constitute 6-18% of all transporters in bacterial genomes, yet the expression and functions of only a handful of them have been studied. Among the 20 efflux genes encoded in the Escherichia coli K-12 genome, only the AcrAB-TolC system is constitutively expressed. The expression, activities, and physiological functions of the remaining efflux genes are poorly understood. In this study we identified a dramatic up-regulation of an additional efflux pump, MdtEF, under the anaerobic growth condition of E. coli, which is independent of antibiotic exposure. We found that expression of MdtEF is up-regulated more than 20-fold under anaerobic conditions by th

SUBMITTER: Zhang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3143622 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature