Molecular basis of rifampin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae.

ABSTRACT: Rifampin resistance among South African clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae was shown to be due to missense mutations within the rpoB gene. Sequence analysis of 24 rifampin-resistant isolates revealed the presence of mutations within cluster I as well as novel mutations in an area designated pneumococcus cluster III. Of the 24 isolates characterized, only 1 resistant isolate did not contain any mutations in the regions sequenced. Either the cluster I or the cluster III mutations separately conferred MICs of 32 to 128 microg/ml. Clinical isolate 55, for which the MIC was 256 microg/ml, was noted to contain 9 of the 10 mutations identified, which included the cluster I and cluster III mutations. As in Escherichia coli, it is possible that cluster I (amino acids 406 to 434) and clus

SUBMITTER: Padayachee T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC89483 | biostudies-literature | 1999 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature