Selective Conditions for a Multidrug Resistance Plasmid Depend on the Sociality of Antibiotic Resistance

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2016 Mar 25;60(4):2524-7. doi: 10.1128/AAC.02441-15. Print 2016 Apr.

Abstract

Multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids frequently carry antibiotic resistance genes conferring qualitatively different mechanisms of resistance. We show here that the antibiotic concentrations selecting for the RK2 plasmid inEscherichia colidepend upon the sociality of the drug resistance: the selection for selfish drug resistance (efflux pump) occurred at very low drug concentrations, just 1.3% of the MIC of the plasmid-free antibiotic-sensitive strain, whereas selection for cooperative drug resistance (modifying enzyme) occurred at drug concentrations exceeding the MIC of the plasmid-free strain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological
  • Ampicillin / pharmacology
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects*
  • Escherichia coli / enzymology
  • Escherichia coli / genetics*
  • Gene Expression
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Plasmids / chemistry*
  • Plasmids / metabolism
  • Selection, Genetic
  • Tetracycline / pharmacology
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics*
  • beta-Lactamases / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Ampicillin
  • beta-Lactamases
  • Tetracycline