Ethidium bromide exposure unmasks an antibiotic efflux system in Rhodococcus equi

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Rampacci ◽  
Maria Luisa Marenzoni ◽  
Rolando Cannalire ◽  
Donatella Pietrella ◽  
Stefano Sabatini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ethidium Bromide ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Major Facilitator Superfamily ◽  
23S Rrna ◽  
Genetic Mechanisms ◽  
Major Facilitator ◽  
Antibiotic Efflux ◽  
Level Resistance ◽  
Mfs Transporter

Abstract Background This study introduces a newly created strain (Rhodococcus equiEtBr25) by exposing R. equi ATCC 33701 to ethidium bromide (EtBr), a substrate for MDR transporters. Such an approach allowed us to investigate the resulting phenotype and genetic mechanisms underlying the efflux-mediated resistance in R. equi. Methods R. equi ATCC 33701 was stimulated with increasing concentrations of EtBr. The antimicrobial susceptibility of the parental strain and R. equiEtBr25 was investigated in the presence/absence of efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs). EtBr efflux was evaluated by EtBr-agar method and flow cytometry. The presence of efflux pump genes was determined by conventional PCR before to quantify the expression of 30 genes coding for membrane transporters by qPCR. The presence of erm(46) and mutations in 23S rRNA, and gyrA/gyrB was assessed by PCR and DNA sequencing to exclude the occurrence of resistance mechanisms other than efflux. Results R. equi EtBr25 showed an increased EtBr efflux. Against this strain, the activity of EtBr, azithromycin and ciprofloxacin was more affected than that of rifampicin and azithromycin/rifampicin combinations. Resistances were reversed by combining the antimicrobials with EPIs. Gene expression analysis detected a marked up-regulation of REQ_RS13460 encoding for a Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) transporter. G→A transition occurred in the transcriptional repressor tetR/acrR adjacent to REQ_RS13460. Conclusions Exposure of R. equi to EtBr unmasked an efflux-mediated defence against azithromycin and ciprofloxacin, which seemingly correlates with the overexpression of a specific MFS transporter. This genotype may mirror an insidious low-level resistance of clinically important isolates that could be countered by EPI-based therapies.

scholarly journals New Plasmid-Mediated Fluoroquinolone Efflux Pump, QepA, Found in an Escherichia coli Clinical Isolate

2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 3354-3360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunikazu Yamane ◽  
Jun-ichi Wachino ◽  
Satowa Suzuki ◽  
Kouji Kimura ◽  
Naohiro Shibata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Major Facilitator Superfamily ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Resistance Level ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Susceptibility Tests ◽  
Major Facilitator

ABSTRACT Plasmid-mediated Qnr and AAC(6′)-Ib-cr have been recognized as new molecular mechanisms affecting fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance. C316, an Escherichia coli strain demonstrating resistance to various FQs, was isolated in Japan. Resistance to FQs was augmented in an E. coli CSH2 transconjugant, but PCR failed to detect qnr genes, suggesting the presence of novel plasmid-mediated FQ resistance mechanisms. Susceptibility tests, DNA manipulation, and analyses of the gene and its product were performed to characterize the genetic determinant. A novel FQ-resistant gene, qepA, was identified in a plasmid, pHPA, of E. coli C316, and both qepA and rmtB genes were mediated by a probable transposable element flanked by two copies of IS26. Levels of resistance to norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin were significantly elevated in E. coli transformants harboring qepA under AcrB-TolC-deficient conditions. QepA showed considerable similarities to transporters belonging to the 14-transmembrane-segment family of environmental actinomycetes. The effect of carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) on accumulation of norfloxacin was assayed in a qepA-harboring E. coli transformant. The intracellular accumulation of norfloxacin was decreased in a qepA-expressing E. coli transformant, but this phenomenon was canceled by CCCP. The augmented FQ resistance level acquired by the probable intergeneric transfer of a gene encoding a major facilitator superfamily-type efflux pump from some environmental microbes to E. coli was first identified. Surveillance of the qepA-harboring clinical isolates should be encouraged to minimize further dissemination of the kind of plasmid-dependent FQ resistance determinants among pathogenic microbes.

scholarly journals Molecular pathways to high-level azithromycin resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
J G E Laumen ◽  
S S Manoharan-Basil ◽  
E Verhoeven ◽  
S Abdellati ◽  
I De Baetselier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neisseria Gonorrhoeae ◽  
Ribosomal Proteins ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
23S Rrna ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
23S Rrna Gene ◽  
Evolution Of Resistance ◽  
High Level ◽  
Azithromycin Resistance ◽  
Level Resistance

Abstract Background The prevalence of azithromycin resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae is increasing in numerous populations worldwide. Objectives To characterize the genetic pathways leading to high-level azithromycin resistance. Methods A customized morbidostat was used to subject two N. gonorrhoeae reference strains (WHO-F and WHO-X) to dynamically sustained azithromycin pressure. We tracked stepwise evolution of resistance by whole genome sequencing. Results Within 26 days, all cultures evolved high-level azithromycin resistance. Typically, the first step towards resistance was found in transitory mutations in genes rplD, rplV and rpmH (encoding the ribosomal proteins L4, L22 and L34 respectively), followed by mutations in the MtrCDE-encoded efflux pump and the 23S rRNA gene. Low- to high-level resistance was associated with mutations in the ribosomal proteins and MtrCDE efflux pump. However, high-level resistance was consistently associated with mutations in the 23S ribosomal RNA, mainly the well-known A2059G and C2611T mutations, but also at position A2058G. Conclusions This study enabled us to track previously reported mutations and identify novel mutations in ribosomal proteins (L4, L22 and L34) that may play a role in the genesis of azithromycin resistance in N. gonorrhoeae.

scholarly journals Two Distinct Major Facilitator Superfamily Drug Efflux Pumps Mediate Chloramphenicol Resistance in Streptomyces coelicolor

2009 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 4673-4677 ◽  
Author(s):  
James J. Vecchione ◽  
Blair Alexander ◽  
Jason K. Sello
Keyword(s):  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Streptomyces Coelicolor ◽  
Efflux Pumps ◽  
Major Facilitator Superfamily ◽  
Close Relative ◽  
Gram Positive ◽  
Antibacterial Drugs ◽  
Chloramphenicol Resistance ◽  
Drug Activity ◽  
Major Facilitator

ABSTRACT Chloramphenicol, florfenicol, and thiamphenicol are used as antibacterial drugs in clinical and veterinary medicine. Two efflux pumps of the major facilitator superfamily encoded by the cmlR1 and cmlR2 genes mediate resistance to these antibiotics in Streptomyces coelicolor, a close relative of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The transcription of both genes was observed by reverse transcription-PCR. Disruption of cmlR1 decreased the chloramphenicol MIC 1.6-fold, while disruption of cmlR2 lowered the MIC 16-fold. The chloramphenicol MIC of wild-type S. coelicolor decreased fourfold and eightfold in the presence of reserpine and Phe-Arg-β-naphthylamide, respectively. These compounds are known to potentiate the activity of some antibacterial drugs via efflux pump inhibition. While reserpine is known to potentiate drug activity against gram-positive bacteria, this is the first time that Phe-Arg-β-naphthylamide has been shown to potentiate drug activity against a gram-positive bacterium.

scholarly journals Structural and Functional Study of the Phenicol-Specific Efflux Pump FloR Belonging to the Major Facilitator Superfamily

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 2965-2971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martine Braibant ◽  
Jacqueline Chevalier ◽  
Elisabeth Chaslus-Dancla ◽  
Jean-Marie Pagès ◽  
Axel Cloeckaert
Keyword(s):  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Major Facilitator Superfamily ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Functional Study ◽  
Efflux Transporters ◽  
Chloramphenicol Resistance ◽  
Active Efflux ◽  
Transmembrane Segments ◽  
Efflux Mechanism ◽  
Major Facilitator

ABSTRACT The florfenicol-chloramphenicol resistance gene floR from Salmonella enterica was previously identified and postulated to belong to the major facilitator (MF) superfamily of drug exporters. Here, we confirmed a computer-predicted transmembrane topological model of FloR, using the phoA gene fusion method, and classified this protein in the DHA12 family (containing 12 transmembrane domains) of MF efflux transporters. We also showed that FloR is a transporter specific for structurally associated phenicol drugs (chloramphenicol, florfenicol, thiamphenicol) which utilizes the proton motive force to energize an active efflux mechanism. By site-directed mutagenesis of specific charged residues belonging to putative transmembrane segments (TMS), two residues essential for active efflux function, D23 in TMS1 and R109 in TMS4, were identified. Of these, the acidic residue D23 seems to participate directly in the affinity pocket involved in phenicol derivative recognition. A third residue, E283 in TMS9, seems to be necessary for correct membrane folding of the transporter.

The mycobacterial efflux pump EfpA can induce high drug tolerance to many anti-tuberculosis drugs, including moxifloxacin, in Mycobacterium smegmatis

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepika Rai ◽  
Sarika Mehra
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Smegmatis ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Drug Tolerance ◽  
Inducible Promoter ◽  
Major Facilitator Superfamily ◽  
Expression Level ◽  
Efflux Pump Inhibitor ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Active Efflux ◽  
Major Facilitator

Active efflux of drugs across the membrane is a major survival strategy of bacteria against many drugs. In this work, we characterize an efflux pump EfpA, from the major facilitator superfamily, that is highly conserved among both slow growing and fast-growing mycobacterium species and has been found to be upregulated in many clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis . The gene encoding EfpA from Mycobacterium smegmatis was over-expressed under both constitutive and an inducible promoter. Expression of efpA gene under both the promoters resulted in greater than 32-fold increased drug tolerance of M. smegmatis cells to many first-line (rifampicin, isoniazid and streptomycin) and second-line (amikacin) anti-tuberculosis drugs. Notably, drug tolerance of M. smegmatis cells to moxifloxacin increased by more than 180-fold when efpA was over-expressed. The increase in minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) correlated with the decreased uptake of drugs including norfloxacin, moxifloxacin and ethidium bromide and the high MIC could be reversed in the presence of an efflux pump inhibitor. A correlation was observed between the MIC of drugs and the efflux pump expression level, suggesting that the latter could be modulated by varying the expression level of the efflux pump. The expression of high levels of efpA did not impact the fitness of the cells when supplemented with glucose.The efpA gene is conserved across both pathogenic and non-pathogenic mycobacteria. The efpA gene from the Mycobacterium bovis BCG/ M. tuberculosis , which is 80% identical to efpA from M. smegmatis , also led to decreased antimicrobial efficacy to many drugs, although the fold-change was lower. When over-expressed in M. bovis BCG, an 8-fold higher drug tolerance to moxifloxacin was observed . This is the first report of an efflux pump from mycobacterium species that leads to higher drug tolerance to moxifloxacin, a promising new drug for the treatment of tuberculosis.

scholarly journals The Varied Role of Efflux Pumps of the MFS Family in the Interplay of Bacteria with Animal and Plant Cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pasqua ◽  
Grossi ◽  
Zennaro ◽  
Fanelli ◽  
Micheli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Regulatory Networks ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Efflux Pumps ◽  
Major Facilitator Superfamily ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Multidrug Efflux ◽  
Animal Cells ◽  
Multidrug Efflux Pumps ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Major Facilitator

Efflux pumps represent an important and large group of transporter proteins found in all organisms. The importance of efflux pumps resides in their ability to extrude a wide range of antibiotics, resulting in the emergence of multidrug resistance in many bacteria. Besides antibiotics, multidrug efflux pumps can also extrude a large variety of compounds: Bacterial metabolites, plant-produced compounds, quorum-sensing molecules, and virulence factors. This versatility makes efflux pumps relevant players in interactions not only with other bacteria, but also with plant or animal cells. The multidrug efflux pumps belonging to the major facilitator superfamily (MFS) are widely distributed in microbial genomes and exhibit a large spectrum of substrate specificities. Multidrug MFS efflux pumps are present either as single-component transporters or as tripartite complexes. In this review, we will summarize how the multidrug MFS efflux pumps contribute to the interplay between bacteria and targeted host cells, with emphasis on their role in bacterial virulence, in the colonization of plant and animal host cells and in biofilm formation. We will also address the complexity of these interactions in the light of the underlying regulatory networks required for the effective activation of efflux pump genes.

scholarly journals Mutations that increase expression of the EmrAB-TolC efflux pump confer increased resistance to nitroxoline in Escherichia coli

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiola Puértolas-Balint ◽  
Omar Warsi ◽  
Marius Linkevicius ◽  
Po-Cheng Tang ◽  
Dan I Andersson
Keyword(s):  
Escherichia Coli ◽  
Target Genes ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Resistance Mechanisms ◽  
Cross Resistance ◽  
Resistance Mutations ◽  
Double Knockout ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Resistant Mutants ◽  
Level Resistance

Abstract Objectives To determine the mechanism of resistance to the antibiotic nitroxoline in Escherichia coli. Methods Spontaneous nitroxoline-resistant mutants were selected at different concentrations of nitroxoline. WGS and strain reconstruction were used to define the genetic basis for the resistance. The mechanistic basis of resistance was determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and by overexpression of target genes. Fitness costs of the resistance mutations and cross-resistance to other antibiotics were also determined. Results Mutations in the transcriptional repressor emrR conferred low-level resistance to nitroxoline [nitroxoline MIC (MICNOX) = 16 mg/L] by increasing the expression of the emrA and emrB genes of the EmrAB-TolC efflux pump. These resistant mutants showed no fitness reduction and displayed cross-resistance to nalidixic acid. Second-step mutants with higher-level resistance (MICNOX = 32–64 mg/L) had mutations in the emrR gene, together with either a 50 kb amplification, a mutation in the gene marA, or an IS upstream of the lon gene. The latter mutations resulted in higher-level nitroxoline resistance due to increased expression of the tolC gene, which was confirmed by overexpressing tolC from an inducible plasmid in a low-level resistance mutant. Furthermore, the emrR mutations conferred a small increase in resistance to nitrofurantoin only when combined with an nfsAB double-knockout mutation. However, nitrofurantoin-resistant nfsAB mutants showed no cross-resistance to nitroxoline. Conclusions Mutations in different genes causing increased expression of the EmrAB-TolC pump lead to an increased resistance to nitroxoline. The structurally similar antibiotics nitroxoline and nitrofurantoin appear to have different modes of action and resistance mechanisms.

Tigecycline efflux in Acinetobacter baumannii is mediated by TetA in synergy with RND-type efflux transporters

2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (5) ◽  
pp. 1135-1139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wuen Ee Foong ◽  
Jochen Wilhelm ◽  
Heng-Keat Tam ◽  
Klaas M Pos
Keyword(s):  
Acinetobacter Baumannii ◽  
Efflux Pump ◽  
Gene Knockout ◽  
Drug Susceptibility ◽  
Major Facilitator Superfamily ◽  
Rt Pcr ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Rnd Efflux Pump ◽  
Major Facilitator

Abstract Objectives To investigate the role of Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS)-type transporters from Acinetobacter baumannii AYE in tigecycline efflux. Methods Two putative tetracycline transporter genes of A. baumannii AYE (tetA and tetG) were heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli and drug susceptibility assays were conducted with tigecycline and three other tetracycline derivatives. The importance of TetA in tigecycline transport in A. baumannii was determined by complementation of tetA in WT and Resistance Nodulation cell Division (RND) gene knockout strains of A. baumannii ATCC 19606. Gene expression of the MFS-type tetA gene and RND efflux pump genes adeB, adeG and adeJ in A. baumannii AYE in the presence of tigecycline was analysed by quantitative real-time RT–PCR. Results Overproduction of TetA or TetG conferred resistance to doxycycline, minocycline and tetracycline in E. coli. Cells expressing tetA, but not those expressing tetG, conferred resistance to tigecycline, implying that TetA is a determinant for tigecycline transport. A. baumannii WT and RND-knockout strains complemented with plasmid-encoded tetA are significantly less susceptible to tigecycline compared with non-complemented strains. Efflux pump genes tetA and adeG are up-regulated in A. baumannii AYE in the presence of subinhibitory tigecycline concentrations. Conclusions TetA plays an important role in tigecycline efflux of A. baumannii by removing the drug from cytoplasm to periplasm and, subsequently, the RND-type transporters AdeABC and AdeIJK extrude tigecycline across the outer membrane. When challenged with tigecycline, tetA is up-regulated in A. baumannii AYE. Synergy between TetA and the RND-type transporters AdeABC and/or AdeIJK appears necessary for A. baumannii to confer higher tigecycline resistance via drug efflux.

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