Open AccessTwo distinct resistance determinants to nucleic acid‐binding compounds in Staphylococcus aureus ?
Author(s) -
Emslie K.R.,
Townsend D.E.,
Bolton S.,
Grubb W.B.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1985.tb01639.x
Subject(s) - ethidium bromide , acriflavine , staphylococcus aureus , nucleic acid , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , plasmid , genetics , antibiotic resistance , bacteria , gene , dna
The majority of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated in Australia since 1980 carries a determinant encoding resistance to a variety of nucleic acid‐binding (NAB) compounds, including ethidium bromide (EB) acriflavine and propamidine isothionate. In addition, an EB‐resistance determinant is frequently located on conjugative plasmids encoding aminoglycoside resistance. A comparison of these two determinants revealed that the EB‐resistance determinant also encoded resistance to several NAB compounds. However, the NAB‐ and the EB‐resistance determinants differed in both the number of NAB‐compounds to which they expressed resistance, and the level of resistance expressed towards these compounds. Whilst these 2 determinants have several features in common, the results suggest that the NAB‐ and EB‐resistance determinants are not identical.