Open AccessIncreased production of beta-lactamase under anaerobic conditions in some strains of Escherichia coli
Author(s) -
Ayoub Rashtchian,
Roya Nouravarsani,
Glendon R. Miller,
E. Gerlach
Publication year - 1979
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.16.6.772
Subject(s) - escherichia coli , anaerobic exercise , incubation , microbiology and biotechnology , plasmid , biology , enterobacteriaceae , enzyme , bacteria , beta (programming language) , biochemistry , chemistry , gene , genetics , computer science , physiology , programming language
A simple biological assay to detect beta-lactamase activity exhibited by selected cultures of Escherichia coli was used to test enzyme production in cells incubated aerobically and anerobically. Anaerobic incubation resulted in increased size of zones of drug inactivation by some beta-lactamase-producing strains. The beta-lactamase activity of cell lysates was determined iodometrically for aerobically and anaerobically grown cells. The specific beta-lactamase activity for anaerobically grown cells was three to five times greater than for aerobically grown cells. Beta-lactamase production was determined to be constitutive in all strains and to be plasmid mediated, as demonstrated by transfer to E. coli K-12 by conjugation.