Open AccessContribution of the traT Gene to Serum Resistance Among Clinical Isolates of Enterobacteriaceae
Author(s) -
Usha Kanukollu,
Sandra Bieler,
Sheila I. Hull,
Roger Hull
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of medical microbiology/journal of medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1473-5644
pISSN - 0022-2615
DOI - 10.1099/00222615-19-1-61
Subject(s) - enterobacteriaceae , plasmid , escherichia coli , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , homologous chromosome , genetics
Antimicrobial resistance plasmids containing the traT gene confer resistance to serum bactericidal activity upon some laboratory strains of Escherichia coli. We have examined the DNA of Enterobacteriaceae from human extraintestinal infections to determine the frequency of traT-like genes. DNA sequences homologous with traT were found among 58% of Escherichieae but among none of the Klebsielleae or Proteeae tested and were found as frequently among serum-sensitive E. coli as among serum-resistant strains. Sequences related to traT were always associated with large plasmids. The potential contribution of traT-containing plasmids to serum resistance of clinical isolates is discussed.