Open AccessThe role of the bacitracin ABC transporter in bacitracin resistance and collateral detergent sensitivity
Author(s) -
Podlesek Zdravko,
Comino Aleksandra,
HerzogVelikonja Blagajana,
Grabnar Miklavz
Publication year - 2000
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.1574-6968.2000.tb09176.x
Subject(s) - bacitracin , atp binding cassette transporter , bacillus licheniformis , microbiology and biotechnology , bacillus subtilis , plasmid , biology , transporter , biochemistry , bacteria , chemistry , antibiotics , gene , genetics
The bacitracin resistance of Bacillus licheniformis , a producer of bacitracin, is mediated by the ABC transporter Bcr. Bacillus subtilis cells carrying bcr genes on high‐copy number plasmids developed collateral detergent sensitivity, as did human cells with overexpressed multidrug resistance P‐glycoprotein. Resistance against bacitracin and sensitivity of resistant cells to detergents were shown to be inseparable phenomena associated with the membrane part of Bcr transporter, namely protein BcrC. A fused protein, consisting of ATP‐binding protein BcrA and membrane component BcrC was constructed. It resembled a half molecule of P‐glycoprotein and was capable of providing a significant degree of antibiotic resistance and detergent sensitivity.