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R factors from Proteus mirabilis and P. vulgaris

R W Hedges

    Journal of General Microbiology
    |April 1, 1975
    PubMed

    Insights

    Researchers studied R factors, which confer antibiotic resistance, transmitted from Proteus hauseri to Escherichia coli K12. Many R factors were unstable, with some belonging to a newly identified compatibility group, V.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Genetics
    • Molecular Biology

    Background:

    • Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern.
    • R factors (resistance plasmids) are key vehicles for the spread of antibiotic resistance.
    • Proteus hauseri is a bacterial species known to harbor R factors.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the characteristics of R factors transmitted from Proteus hauseri to Escherichia coli K12.
    • To identify the compatibility groups of these R factors.
    • To assess the stability of R factor inheritance in a new host.

    Main Methods:

    • Conjugation was used to transfer R factors from Proteus hauseri isolates to Escherichia coli K12.
    • R factor compatibility groups were determined.
    • The stability of R factor inheritance in E. coli K12 was evaluated.

    Main Results:

    • Eighty-nine R factors were successfully transferred.
    • Over half of the R factors were non-self-transmissible.
    • Transferred R factors belonged to known groups (FII, A-C complex, J, N, P) and a new group, V.
    • R factors from specific geographic locations (India, Thailand, Japan) exhibited extreme instability in E. coli K12 and belonged to the new compatibility group V.

    Conclusions:

    • Proteus hauseri harbors a diverse collection of R factors, including novel ones.
    • The emergence of a new R factor compatibility group (V) highlights the dynamic nature of plasmid evolution.
    • Geographic origin can influence the stability and characteristics of R factors in new hosts, posing potential challenges for antibiotic resistance control.

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