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. 1982 Nov;22(5):882–888. doi: 10.1128/aac.22.5.882

Monitoring of plasmid-encoded, trimethoprim-resistant dihydrofolate reductase genes: detection of a new resistant enzyme.

M E Fling, L Walton, L P Elwell
PMCID: PMC185675  PMID: 7181492

Abstract

Using-gene-specific radiolabeled probe DNAs, we analyzed 42 clinical bacterial isolates with high-level trimethoprim (Tp) resistance for the presence of a type I or a type II plasmid-specified dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene. Plasmid DNA from 17 strains harbored a type I DHFR, whereas 11 isolates contained plasmids that harbored a type II DHFR structural gene. The plasmid DNAs from five strains appeared to hybridize with both type I and type II DHFR probe DNAs. In addition, eight isolates had type I resistance determinants integrated into the chromosomes, presumably on transposon 7 (Tn7). Among the strains analyzed in this survey, none of the chromosomally located, Tp-insensitive reductases were of the type II class. Both the plasmid and chromosomal DNAs of one isolate showed no homology with either the type I or type II DHFR probe DNA. The plasmid harbored by this strain encoded a "new" Tp-resistant enzyme that differed significantly, both in molecular weight and with respect to trimethoprim and methotrexate inhibition kinetics, from the previously characterized plasmid-associated dihydrofolate reductases.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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