Resistom <i>Streptomyces rimosus</i> - a reservoir of resistance genes to aminoglycoside antibiotics

Abstract

The study of aminoglycoside acetyltransferases in actinobacteria of the genus Streptomyces is an integral part of the study of soil bacteria as the main reservoir and possible source of drug resistance genes. Previously, in the strain Streptomyces rimosus ATCC 10970 (producing oxyteteracycline), which is resistant to most natural aminoglycoside antibiotics, we have identified and biochemically characterized 3 aminoglycoside phosphotransferases, which cause resistance to kanamycin, neomycin, paromomycin, streptomycin, and hygromycin B. In the presented work, it was shown that resistance to other AGs in this strain is associated with the presence of the enzyme aminoglycoside acetyltransferase, belonging to the AAC(2′) subfamily. Induction of the expression of the gene, designated by us as aac(2′)-If, in Escherichia coli cells determines resistance to a wide range of natural aminoglycoside antibiotics (neomycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, sisomycin, and paromomycin) and to an increase in the minimum inhibitory concentrations of these antibiotics.