J Korean Soc Microbiol.  1999 Aug;34(4):347-361.

Molecular Genetic Characteristics of Trimethoprim Resistance in Clinical and Normal Fecal Isolates of Escherichia coli

• Seol SY
• Cho DT
• Lee YC
• Shin HS
• Kim NH

Abstract

One hundred and thirty trimethoprim-resistant R plasmids derived from of Escherichia coli isolated from clinical specimens and feces of healthy collegians were examined for incompatibility, EcoRI endonuclease restriction fragment pattern, and Southern hybridization with DHFR I, II, III, V, and VII probe. 1. Most trimethoprim-resistant R plasmids were resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, and kanamycin, and showed multiple drug resistance and various antimicrobial resistance patterns. 2. Trimethoprim-resistant R plasmids ranged from 90 to 50 kilobase and 42.3% of R plasmids tested were classified to incompatibilty group Inc FI, Inc FII or Inc FIV, 3. Among 48 random selected R plasmids from various origin, 14 R plasmids (including 9 of 14 Inc FII plasmids and 3 of 14 Inc FI plasmids) hybridized with DHFR VII oligonucleotide probe but others did not respond to any of DHFR probes used. 4. Most R plasmids showed various EcoRI endonuclease fragments and different reaction sites by Southern hybridization. Six plasmids showed identical or nearly identical molecular weight, EcoRI endonuclease fragment patterns and different sites of Southern hybridization. But 2 Inc FII plasmids derived from urine and feces showed identical pattern. These findings, if confirmed by further studies, suggest that normal flora E. coli can act as reservoir of resistant genes and, consequently, as a factor in the dissemination of these genes among enteric pathogens and need to be examined further.

MeSH Terms

Ampicillin
Chloramphenicol
Deoxyribonuclease EcoRI
Drug Resistance, Multiple
Escherichia coli*
Escherichia*
Feces
Gentamicins
Immunodeficiency Virus, Feline
Kanamycin
Molecular Biology*
Molecular Weight
Plasmids
R Factors
Tetracycline
Trimethoprim Resistance*
Trimethoprim*
Ampicillin
Chloramphenicol
Deoxyribonuclease EcoRI
Gentamicins
Kanamycin
Tetracycline
Trimethoprim