Evidence for the Presence of ermG on Bacteroides Conjugative Transposon in Gram-Positive Bacteria Found in Pig Manure
The human colonic bacteria are becoming more resistant to antibiotics, which seem to be due to the transfer of resistance genes between bacteria. Conjugative transposons, which are self-transmissible integrated elements, seem to be responsible for the majority of gene transfers observed in Bacteroides spp. One of these conjugative transposons, CTnGERM1, was recently isolated, and is unlike the family of CTn's most common in Bacteroides spp. It is increasing in appearance and is now playing a role in erythromycin resistance in Bacteroides spp. It carries a new erythromycin resistance gene, ermG. It is believed that the source of ermG is the Gram-positive bacteria because the G+C % of ermG is very low and that of Gram-positive bacteria are also low. This research will contribute above hypothesis. If the source of ermG can be found, the transfer tendency of the ermG can be controlled. This research will determine, by using a DNA probe, if ermG is present in 48 bacterial strains isolated from pig feces and compost manure obtained from a lagoon. Also it will determine if the sequences adjacent to the ermG gene are present in these strains. Our finding of Gram-positive strains that contain ermG sequences strengthens the hypothesis that Gram-positive bacteria might be the source carried on a self-transmissible element.
School:
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Department:
Microbiology
Research Advisor:
Abigail Salyers
Department of Research Advisor:
Microbiology
Year of Publication:
2003