High-level expression of IMP-5 carbapenemase owing to point mutation in the -35 promoter region of class 1 integron among Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates

Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2006 Jan;27(1):27-31. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2005.08.023. Epub 2005 Dec 15.

Abstract

Eight strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing IMP-5 carbapenemases were collected from three Portuguese hospitals. All isolates were epidemiologically unrelated. The bla(IMP-5) gene was inserted into a class 1 integron previously reported in Acinetobacter baumannii 65FFC. Expression of the the bla(IMP-5) gene in P. aeruginosa has been shown to be driven by the P(1) promoter [TTGATA] in which the cytosine was replaced by thymine, which caused an increase in transcription of bla(IMP-5) that was confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of imipenem for Escherichia coli pGMLA-1 (the recombinant from A. baumannii 65FFC) and E. coli pATG-2 (the recombinant from P. aeruginosa isolates) were 0.5 mg/L and >32 mg/L, respectively. This study reports the spread of a class 1 integron In76 with a new point mutation in the P(1) promoter sequence leading to overproduction of IMP-5.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Proteins / drug effects
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism*
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial
  • Humans
  • Integrons*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mutagenesis
  • Plasmids / genetics
  • Point Mutation*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / enzymology
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / genetics*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / isolation & purification
  • Recombinant Proteins / drug effects
  • Recombinant Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • beta-Lactam Resistance / genetics
  • beta-Lactamases / drug effects
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics
  • beta-Lactamases / metabolism*

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • beta-Lactamases
  • carbapenemase