2"-O-phosphorylation of gentamicin components by a Staphylococcus aureus strain carrying a plasmid

A wild-type strain of Staphylococcus aureus that inactivates the 4,6-glycosidically linked deoxystreptamine aminoglycoside antibiotics by a plasmid-mediated process was found to harbor two enzymes: an acetyltransferase of the AAC(6') type and a new phosphotranferase specific to the gentamicin components. The target of this last enzyme is the 2''-hydroxyl function of these antibiotics, since one inactivated compound is 2''-(O)-phosphorylsisomicin.