Skip to main content
NCBI home page
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy logoLink to Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
. 1973 Mar;3(3):315–324. doi: 10.1128/aac.3.3.315

Mutation of R Factors Capable of Specifying Hypersynthesis of Penicillinase

Yoshihiro Odakura 1, Tokumitsu Tanaka 1, Hajime Hashimoto 1, Susumu Mitsuhashi 1
PMCID: PMC444408  PMID: 4597720

Abstract

When strains harboring R factor and showing ampicillin (APC) resistance were inoculated on plates containing various concentrations of APC, mutants carrying various levels of APC resistance occurred at high frequencies. Increases in the level of APC resistance were due to a quantitative increase in the formation of penicillinase. By conjugation experiments and transduction analysis, the mutation was found to affect the gene (amp) governing APC resistance on the R factor. The R-factor mutants carrying high and stable APC resistance were conjugally transferred at the same frequency as their parent R factors, and the level of their resistance to drugs other than APC was not distinct from that conferred by their parents. Such R-factor mutants could easily be obtained from wild-type R factors carrying low APC resistance. The hypersynthesis of penicillinase by such R-factor mutants was considered to be due to the replication of the amp gene on the R factor at hyper-rates and the integration of multiple copies of the amp gene (amp-hyper) in the R-factor genome.

Full text

PDF
315

Selected References

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

  1. ANDERSON E. S., DATTA N. RESISTANCE TO PENICILLINS AND ITS TRANSFER IN ENTEROBACTERIACEAE. Lancet. 1965 Feb 20;1(7382):407–409. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(65)90004-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Chabbert Y. A., Baudens J. G. Transmissible resistance to six groups of antibiotics in Salmonella infections. Antimicrob Agents Chemother (Bethesda) 1965;5:380–383. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Clewell D. B., Helinski D. R. Effect of growth conditions on the formation of the relaxation complex of supercoiled ColE1 deoxyribonucleic acid and protein in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1972 Jun;110(3):1135–1146. doi: 10.1128/jb.110.3.1135-1146.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Clewell D. B. Nature of Col E 1 plasmid replication in Escherichia coli in the presence of the chloramphenicol. J Bacteriol. 1972 May;110(2):667–676. doi: 10.1128/jb.110.2.667-676.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Clowes R. C. Molecular structure of bacterial plasmids. Bacteriol Rev. 1972 Sep;36(3):361–405. doi: 10.1128/br.36.3.361-405.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. DAVIS B. D., MINGIOLI E. S. Mutants of Escherichia coli requiring methionine or vitamin B12. J Bacteriol. 1950 Jul;60(1):17–28. doi: 10.1128/jb.60.1.17-28.1950. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Datta N., Kontomichalou P. Penicillinase synthesis controlled by infectious R factors in Enterobacteriaceae. Nature. 1965 Oct 16;208(5007):239–241. doi: 10.1038/208239a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Datta N., Richmond M. H. The purification and properties of a penicillinase whose synthesis is mediated by an R-factor in Escherichia coli. Biochem J. 1966 Jan;98(1):204–209. doi: 10.1042/bj0980204. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Davies J. E., Rownd R. Transmissible multiple drug resistance in Enterobacteriaceae. Science. 1972 May 19;176(4036):758–768. doi: 10.1126/science.176.4036.758. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. HORIUCHI T., HORIUCHI S., NOVICK A. The genetic basis of hyper-synthesis of beta-galactosidase. Genetics. 1963 Feb;48:157–169. doi: 10.1093/genetics/48.2.157. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Ikeda H., Tomizawa J. I. Transducing fragments in generalized transduction by phage P1. 3. Studies with small phage particles. J Mol Biol. 1965 Nov;14(1):120–129. doi: 10.1016/s0022-2836(65)80234-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. KONDO E., HARADA K., MITSUHASHI S. Drug-resistance of enteric bacteria. 12. Transduction of the transmissible drug resistance factor by bacteriophage Plkc. Jpn J Exp Med. 1962 Feb;32:139–147. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Kontomichalou P., Mitani M., Clowes R. C. Circular R-factor molecules controlling penicillinase synthesis, replicating in Escherichia coli under either relaxed or stringent control. J Bacteriol. 1970 Oct;104(1):34–44. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.1.34-44.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kontomichalou P. Studies on resistance transfer factors. II. Transmissible resistance to eight antibacterial drugs in a strain of Escherichia coli. Pathol Microbiol (Basel) 1967;30(2):185–200. doi: 10.1159/000161658. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. LENNOX E. S. Transduction of linked genetic characters of the host by bacteriophage P1. Virology. 1955 Jul;1(2):190–206. doi: 10.1016/0042-6822(55)90016-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. LOWRY O. H., ROSEBROUGH N. J., FARR A. L., RANDALL R. J. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem. 1951 Nov;193(1):265–275. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Mitsuhashi S., Kameda M., Harada K., Suzuki M. Formation of recombinants between nontransmissible drug-resistance determinants and transfer factors. J Bacteriol. 1969 Mar;97(3):1520–1521. doi: 10.1128/jb.97.3.1520-1521.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Mitsuhashi S. The problems of drug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Epidemiology and genetics of R factors. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1971 Jun 11;182:141–152. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1971.tb30653.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Nisioka T., Mitani M., Clowes R. Composite circular forms of R factor deoxyribonucleic acid molecules. J Bacteriol. 1969 Jan;97(1):376–385. doi: 10.1128/jb.97.1.376-385.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Nordström K. Increased resistance to several antibiotics by one mutation in an R-factor, R 1a. J Gen Microbiol. 1971 May;66(2):205–214. doi: 10.1099/00221287-66-2-205. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Nordström K., Ingram L. C., Lundbäck A. Mutations in R factors of Escherichia coli causing an increased number of R-factor copies per chromosome. J Bacteriol. 1972 May;110(2):562–569. doi: 10.1128/jb.110.2.562-569.1972. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Odakura Y., Tanaka T., Mitsuhashi S. Drug-resistance and distribution of R factors among Proteus strains. Jpn J Microbiol. 1971 Jul;15(4):367–372. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1971.tb00593.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Ooka T., Hashimoto H., Mitsuhashi S. Comparison of penicillinases produced by R factors isolated from ampicillin-resistant gram-negative bacteria. Jpn J Microbiol. 1970 Mar;14(2):123–128. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1970.tb00499.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. PERRET C. J. Iodometric assay of penicillinase. Nature. 1954 Nov 27;174(4439):1012–1013. doi: 10.1038/1741012a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Pearce L. E., Meynell E. Mutation to high-level streptomycin-resistance in R+ bacteria. J Gen Microbiol. 1968 Jan;50(1):173–176. doi: 10.1099/00221287-50-1-173. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Sawai T., Mitsuhashi S., Yamagishi S. Drug resistance of enteric bacteria. XIV. Comparison of beta-lactamases in gram-negative rod bacteria resistant to alpha-aminobenzylpenicillin. Jpn J Microbiol. 1968 Dec;12(4):423–434. doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1968.tb00415.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Sawai T., Takahashi K., Yamagishi S., Mitsuhashi S. Variant of penicillinase mediated by an R factor in Escherichia coli. J Bacteriol. 1970 Nov;104(2):620–629. doi: 10.1128/jb.104.2.620-629.1970. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Shaw W. V., Brodsky R. F. Characterization of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase from chloramphenicol-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Bacteriol. 1968 Jan;95(1):28–36. doi: 10.1128/jb.95.1.28-36.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Yamagishi S., O'Hara K., Sawai T., Mitsuhashi S. The purification and properties of penicillin beta-lactamases mediated by transmissible R factors in Escherichia coli. J Biochem. 1969 Jul;66(1):11–20. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.jbchem.a129111. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES