Open AccessDiaminodiphenylsulfone resistance of Mycobacterium leprae due to mutations in the dihydropteroate synthase gene
Author(s) -
Kai Masanori,
Matsuoka Masanori,
Nakata Noboru,
Maeda Shinji,
Gidoh Masaichi,
Maeda Yumi,
Hashimoto Ken,
Kobayashi Kazuo,
Kashiwabara Yoshiko
Publication year - 1999
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.1574-6968.1999.tb13737.x
Subject(s) - dihydropteroate synthase , dhps , mycobacterium leprae , biology , genetics , gene , microbiology and biotechnology , mutation , leprosy , pyrimethamine , immunology , plasmodium falciparum , malaria
The nucleotide sequence analysis of the dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) gene of six diaminodiphenylsulfone‐resistant Mycobacterium leprae strains revealed that the mutation was limited at highly conserved amino acid residues 53 or 55. Though the mutation at amino acid residue 55 or its homologous site has been reported in other bacteria, the mutation at residue 53 is the first case in bacteria. This is the first paper which links the mutations in DHPS and sulfonamide resistance in M. leprae . This finding is medically and socially relevant, since leprosy is still a big problem in certain regions.