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. 1996 Dec;40(12):2820–2823. doi: 10.1128/aac.40.12.2820

Identification of chromosomal location of mupA gene, encoding low-level mupirocin resistance in staphylococcal isolates.

M A Ramsey 1, S F Bradley 1, C A Kauffman 1, T M Morton 1
PMCID: PMC163629  PMID: 9124848

Abstract

Low- and high-level mupirocin resistance have been reported in Staphylococcus aureus. The expression of plasmid-encoded mupA is responsible for high-level mupirocin resistance. Low-level mupirocin-resistant strains do not contain plasmid-encoded mupA, and a chromosomal location for this gene has not previously been reported. We examined high- and low-level mupirocin-resistant S. aureus strains to determine if mupA was present on the chromosome of low-level-resistant isolates. Southern blot analysis of DNA from four mupirocin-resistant strains identified mupA in both high- and low-level mupirocin-resistant strains. Low-level mupirocin-resistant strains contained a copy of mupA on the chromosome, while the high-level mupirocin-resistant isolate contained a copy of the gene on the plasmid. PCR amplification of genomic DNA from each mupirocin-resistant strain resulted in a 1.65-kb fragment, the predicted product from the intragenic mupA primers. This is the first report of a chromosomal location for the mupA gene conferring low-level mupirocin resistance.

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Selected References

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