Premium
PHYSIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND PLASMID CONTENT OF BACTEROIDES SPP.
Author(s) -
Riley TV,
Mee BJ
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
australian journal of experimental biology and medical science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0004-945X
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1984.68
Subject(s) - plasmid , bacteriocin , microbiology and biotechnology , tetracycline , bacteroides , biology , penicillin , antibiotics , chemistry , bacteria , dna , genetics , antimicrobial
Summary A collection of 50 clinical isolates of Bacteroides was examined for plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid content. An attempt was then made to correlate the presence of plasmids with a specific phenotypic property. Of the 20 Bacteroides which contained plasmids, 18 were found to harbour plasmids of ≤ 9·8 megadaltons. The most common plasmid had a molecular weight of 4·8 megadaltons and was found in 9 strains. Most strains had multiple plasmid bands. All strains were examined for resistance to penicillin, cefoxitin, erythromycin, tetracycline, sulphamethoxazole, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, arsenate, silver, cadmium, mercury, chromium, lead, nickel and cobalt, and for the production of β‐lactamase, heparinase, deoxyribonuclease, haemolysins and bacteriocins. Using a Chi‐squared analysis, there was no statistically significant correlation between any of these phenotypic traits and the presence of plasmids, except bacteriocin production. A total of 15 out of 20 (75%) of plasmid‐containing strains produced bacteriocins while only 10 out of 30 (33%) of plasmid‐free strains were capable of bacteriocin production (χ 2 , p < 0·005). Attempts to transfer or cure resistance to antibiotics and heavy metals or bacteriocin production were not successful.