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. 1967 Jan;93(1):245–253. doi: 10.1128/jb.93.1.245-253.1967

Sensitivity of Escherichia coli to Atabrine Conferred by R Factor and Its Potential Clinical Significance

Masanosuke Yoshikawa a,1, M G Sevag a
PMCID: PMC314995  PMID: 5335891

Abstract

A comparative study of the inhibitory effect of Atabrine on R− and R+ strains of Escherichia coli showed that R+ cells were killed when grown in the presence of Atabrine, whereas R− cells were not. It would appear, therefore, that R factor confers sensitivity to Atabrine on the host cells. The “curing” of R factor from R+ cells by the ultraviolet light-acridine orange method rendered the “cured” cells more resistant than even the parent R− cells. The “cured” cells reinfected by R factor were more sensitive than the “cured” cells but less sensitive than the original R+ cells. After growth once in Atabrine, and even after subcultures in drug-free medium, the growth of R+ cells in the presence of Atabrine was more rapid than that of the R− cells. R− cells made resistant by growing them repeatedly in streptomycin, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, and sulfathiazole in succession also showed a higher degree of sensitivity to Atabrine than the original R− cells. When mixtures of R− and R+ cells were grown in 120 μg/ml of Atabrine, R+ cells were killed and the culture consisted predominantly of R− cells. A mixture of R− and R+ cells (1:10,000) inoculated into the Atabrine-containing medium and treated 24 hr later with chloramphenicol was completely killed.

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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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