Inducible expression of an aminoglycoside-acetylating enzyme in Providencia stuartii

Strains of Providencia stuartii were collected from a chronic-care geriatric ward of a large Veteran's Administration hospital. Two strains of P. stuartii, and one of Escherichia coli isolated from the same ward, were transferred five times in the presence of gentamicin or netilmicin. At the fifth transfer the MICs of both gentamicin and netilmicin for the two P. stuartii strains had increased at least ten-fold. The MICs for the E. coli remained essentially unchanged. Enzyme assay demonstrated increased activity of an aminoglycoside-2'-acetylating enzyme in P. stuartii during the period of the transfers. Five subsequent transfers in the absence of aminoglycosides resulted in return of enzyme activity to the initial level. Neither of the P. stuartii strains tested contained any detectable plasmid DNA. The 2'-acetylating enzyme in some strains of P. stuartii can be induced to high levels of activity by exposure to gentamicin or netilmicin.