Effect of concentration gradient carbapenem exposure on expression of blaNDM-1 and acrA in carbapenem resistant Escherichia coli

Abstract

Escherichia coli, one of the major pathogens, frequently exhibits carbapenem resistance. It would be of interest to investigate which of the mechanisms responds when a strain that carries both blaNDM-1 and over expressed AcrAB-TolC efflux pump system is exposed against carbapenem under differential concentration gradient stress. Four different sets of strains were used in the study; (i) Strain that have blaNDM-1 and over expressed AcrAB-TolC system (ii) Strain that harbour blaNDM-1 and express AcrAB-TolC at basal level (iii) the strain that is devoid of blaNDM-1 but having over expressed AcrAB-TolC systems and (iv) E. coli AG100A (ΔAcrAB) and E. coli HUE 1 (ΔAcrAB-TolC) where blaNDM-1was cloned. The Quantitative Real time PCR showed blaNDM-1 was over expressed under meropenem and imipenem stress irrespective of concentration gradient. In case of ertapenem, at lower concentration AcrA were over expressed whereas, at higher concentration blaNDM-1 showed elevated expression. A consistent elevated expression of AcrA and AcrB was observed against all carbapenems in the strains devoid of blaNDM-1 where as in case of the strain with basal level expression of AcrA, no significant over expression could be observed for blaNDM-1. In case of clones in group IV, expression of blaNDM-1 was elevated in the presence of carbapenem stress.