Open AccessRifampicin inactivation by Rhodococcus and Mycobacterium species
Author(s) -
Dabbs Eric R.
Publication year - 1987
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.1574-6968.1987.tb02320.x
Subject(s) - rifampicin , rhodococcus , microbiology and biotechnology , bacteria , rhodococcus equi , antibiotics , dna , mycobacterium , rna polymerase , biology , chemistry , rna , biochemistry , gene , genetics , virulence
When prokaryotes are exposed to inhibitory concentrations of the antibiotic rifampicin, the only means hitherto identified by which cells overcome this inhibition is through mutational alteration in the target moiety, DNA‐dependent RNA polymerase. In the nocardioform bacterium Rhodococcus erythropolis a novel mechanism has been identified, consisting of an inducible rifampicin‐inactivating mechanism. Changes in the drug absorbance spectrum paralleled the decline in bacteriostatic activity of the antibiotic.