Identification of ciprofloxacin resistance by SimpleProbe, High Resolution Melt and Pyrosequencing nucleic acid analysis in biothreat agents: Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis and Francisella tularensis

Mol Cell Probes. 2010 Jun;24(3):154-60. doi: 10.1016/j.mcp.2010.01.003. Epub 2010 Jan 25.

Abstract

The potential for genetic modification of biological warfare agents makes rapid identification of antibiotic resistant strains critical for the implementation of suitable infection control measures. The fluorinated quinolone, ciprofloxacin, is an antibiotic effective for treating bacterial infections by inhibiting the enzyme activity of the DNA type II topoisomerases DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. The genes that encode the subunits of DNA gyrase (gyrA and gyrB) and topo IV (par C and parE) contain hotspots within an area known as the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR). Base pair changes within this region give rise to mutations that cause resistance to the antibiotic by altering amino acids within the enzymes. Ciprofloxacin-resistant (cipro(r)) strains of Bacillus anthracis, Yersinia pestis, and Francisella tularensis with one or more known mutations within the QRDR of gyrA, gyrB, parC, and parE genes were tested with SimpleProbe and High Resolution Melt (HRM) dye chemistries and Pyrosequencing genetic analysis to evaluate the ability to rapidly detect ciprofloxacin-induced mutations. While SimpleProbe and Pyrosequencing successfully identified all known mutants, the HRM assay identified all but those resulting from G<-->C or A<-->T substitutions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacillus anthracis / drug effects*
  • Bacillus anthracis / genetics
  • Bacillus anthracis / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Ciprofloxacin / pharmacology*
  • DNA Gyrase / genetics
  • DNA Gyrase / metabolism
  • DNA Topoisomerase IV / genetics
  • DNA Topoisomerase IV / metabolism
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Francisella tularensis / drug effects*
  • Francisella tularensis / genetics
  • Francisella tularensis / metabolism
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mutation
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA / methods*
  • Yersinia pestis / drug effects*
  • Yersinia pestis / genetics
  • Yersinia pestis / metabolism

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • DNA Topoisomerase IV
  • DNA Gyrase