Epistasis analysis uncovers hidden antibiotic resistance-associated fitness costs hampering the evolution of MRSA.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Fitness costs imposed on bacteria by antibiotic resistance mechanisms are believed to hamper their dissemination. The scale of these costs is highly variable. Some, including resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to the clinically important antibiotic mupirocin, have been reported as being cost-free, which suggests that there are few barriers preventing their global spread. However, this is not supported by surveillance data in healthy communities, which indicate that this resistance mechanism is relatively unsuccessful.

Results

Epistasis analysis on two collections of MRSA provides an explanation for this discord, where the mupirocin resistance-conferring mutation of the ileS gene appears to affect the levels of toxins produced by S. aureus when combined with speci

SUBMITTER: Yokoyama M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6052701 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature