Cephem Potentiation by Inactivation of Nonessential Genes Involved in Cell Wall Biogenesis of β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Reversal of antimicrobial resistance is an appealing and largely unexplored strategy in drug discovery. The objective of this study was to identify potential targets for "helper" drugs reversing cephem resistance in Escherichia coli strains producing β-lactamases. A CMY-2-encoding plasmid was transferred by conjugation to seven isogenic deletion mutants exhibiting cephem hypersusceptibility. The effect of each mutation was evaluated by comparing the MICs in the wild type and the mutant harboring the same plasmid. Mutation of two genes encoding proteins involved in cell wall biosynthesis, dapF and mrcB, restored susceptibility to cefoxitin (FOX) and reduced the MICs of cefotaxime and ceftazidime, respectively, from the resistant to the intermediate category according to clinical breakpoints

SUBMITTER: Baker KR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5328576 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature