Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes
08:58

Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes

Published on: March 3, 2023

Aph(3')-IIc, an aminoglycoside resistance determinant from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia

Aki Okazaki1, Matthew B Avison

  • 1Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, School of Medical Sciences, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom.

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|November 8, 2006
PubMed

Insights

We identified a gene in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia that confers resistance to several aminoglycoside antibiotics. Disrupting this gene decreased drug resistance, highlighting its role in antibiotic resistance mechanisms.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health threat.
  • Aminoglycoside antibiotics are crucial for treating bacterial infections.
  • Mechanisms of aminoglycoside resistance in bacteria require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the aph(3')-IIc gene in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.
  • To determine the role of this gene in aminoglycoside antibiotic resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Gene identification and sequencing in Stenotrophomonas maltophilia K279a.
  • Gene expression in Escherichia coli.
  • Determination of Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) for various antibiotics.

Main Results:

  • The intrinsic, chromosomally carried aph(3')-IIc gene was identified in S. maltophilia K279a.
  • Expression of aph(3')-IIc in E. coli significantly increased MICs for kanamycin, neomycin, butirosin, and paromomycin.
  • Disruption of aph(3')-IIc in S. maltophilia K279a led to decreased MICs for these aminoglycosides.

Conclusions:

  • The aph(3')-IIc gene encodes an aminoglycoside phosphotransferase enzyme conferring resistance to specific aminoglycosides.
  • This gene is a key factor in the intrinsic aminoglycoside resistance of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia K279a.

Related Concept Videos

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis01:25

Inhibitors of Bacterial Protein Synthesis

Aminoglycosides constitute a highly potent class of bactericidal antibiotics that exert their antimicrobial effects by targeting the bacterial ribosome, specifically disrupting protein synthesis. These polycationic molecules consist of amino-modified sugars linked via glycosidic bonds to an aminocyclitol core such as 2-deoxystreptamine or streptamine. Their strong positive charges facilitate tight binding to the negatively charged phosphate backbone of ribosomal RNA (rRNA), primarily at the 16S...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...
Development of Antibiotic Resistance01:30

Development of Antibiotic Resistance

Antibiotic resistance is a major public health concern that arises when bacteria evolve mechanisms to withstand the effects of antibiotic treatments. This resistance can be intrinsic, acquired through genetic mutations, or transferred between bacteria via horizontal gene transfer. The development of antibiotic resistance poses significant challenges in treating bacterial infections and necessitates ongoing research to develop new therapeutic strategies.Intrinsic resistance occurs when bacterial...
Atypical Pneumonia01:14

Atypical Pneumonia

Atypical pneumonia, often caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is a form of pulmonary infection that differs from the classical presentation of bacterial pneumonia in both its cause and clinical symptoms. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pleomorphic bacterium notable for its lack of a rigid cell wall. This structural characteristic imparts resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and significantly influences the bacterium’s behavior within the human host.Other pathogens responsible for the disease include...