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Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
09:00

Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance

Published on: May 2, 2018

[Amikacin - resistance in some bacteria isolated in Ankara, and its relation to R plasmids]

M Akman, M Baykal

    Mikrobiyoloji Bulteni
    |January 1, 1982
    PubMed

    Insights

    Researchers investigated Amikacin resistance in Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Results suggest Amikacin resistance in these bacteria is not plasmid-mediated or infectious, as it could not be transferred using standard methods.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Infectious Diseases
    • Antimicrobial Resistance

    Background:

    • Amikacin is a crucial antibiotic for treating multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections.
    • Emergence of antibiotic resistance necessitates understanding resistance mechanisms.
    • Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are significant opportunistic pathogens known for developing resistance.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To determine if Amikacin resistance in clinical isolates of Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas aeruginosa is transferable via plasmids.
    • To investigate the infectious nature of Amikacin resistance in these bacterial species.

    Main Methods:

    • Clinical isolates of Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibiting Amikacin resistance were identified.
    • Conventional in vitro conjugation experiments were performed using E. coli K12 Nalr and Pseudomonas aeruginosa as recipient strains.
    • Nutrient Broth No. 2 was used for cultures and transfers, with MacConkey Agar supplemented with nalidixic acid and appropriate antibiotics for selection.

    Main Results:

    • Despite some inconsistent positive observations, successful and certain transfer of Amikacin resistance to recipient strains was not achieved.
    • The study did not confirm the presence of transferable R plasmids conferring Amikacin resistance.
    • Variable and curious findings suggest potential complexities in resistance transfer or expression.

    Conclusions:

    • The Amikacin resistance observed in the tested Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains is likely not controlled by R plasmids.
    • The resistance is probably not "infectious" in the sense of being readily transferable via conjugation with the methods employed.
    • Further investigation using alternative techniques may be needed to fully elucidate the resistance mechanisms.

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