Open AccessGenetic Basis of Resistance to Fusidic Acid in Staphylococci
Author(s) -
Alex J. O’Neill,
F. McLaws,
Gunnar Kahlmeter,
Anne Santerre Henriksen,
Ian Chopra
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
antimicrobial agents and chemotherapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.07
H-Index - 259
eISSN - 1070-6283
pISSN - 0066-4804
DOI - 10.1128/aac.01542-06
Subject(s) - fusidic acid , staphylococcus aureus , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , staphylococcal infections , staphylococcus saprophyticus , gene , genetics , antibiotic resistance , antibiotics , bacteria , staphylococcus
Resistance to fusidic acid inStaphylococcus aureus often results from acquisition of thefusB determinant or from mutations in the gene (fusA ) that encodes the drug target (elongation factor G). We now report further studies on the genetic basis of resistance to this antibiotic in the staphylococci. Two staphylococcal genes that encode proteins exhibiting ca. 45% identity with FusB conferred resistance to fusidic acid inS. aureus . One of these genes (designatedfusC ) was subsequently detected in all fusidic acid-resistant clinical strains ofS. aureus tested that did not carryfusB or mutations infusA , and in strains ofS. intermedius . The other gene (designatedfusD ) is carried byS. saprophyticus , explaining the inherent resistance of this species to fusidic acid. Fusidic acid-resistant strains ofS. lugdunensis harboredfusB . Thus, resistance to fusidic acid in clinical isolates ofS. aureus and other staphylococcal species frequently results from expression of FusB-type proteins.