Recruitment of a penicillin-binding protein gene from Neisseria flavescens during the emergence of penicillin resistance in Neisseria meningitidis
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Non-f8-lactamase-producing, penicillin-resistant
strains of Neisseria meningildis produce altered forms of
penicillin-binding protein 2 that have decreased affinity for
penicillin. The sequence of the penicillin-binding protein 2 gene
(penA) from a penicillin-resistant strain of N. meningitidis was
compared to the sequence of the same gene from penicillinsensitive
strains and from penicillin-sensitive and penicillinresistant
strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The penA genes from
penicillin-sensitive strains ofN. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitdis
were 98% identical. The gene from the penicillin-resistant strain
of N. meningitis consisted of regions that were almost identical
to the corresponding regions in the penicillin-sensitive strains
(<0.2% divergence) and two regions that were very different
from them (-22% divergence). The two blocks of altered
sequence have arisen by the replacement of meningococcal
sequences with the corresponding regions from the penA gene of
Neisseria flavescens and result in an altered form of penicillinbinding
protein 2 that contains 44 amino acid substitutions and
1 amino acid insertion compared to penicillin-binding protein 2
of penicillin-sensitive strains of N. meningitddis. A similar introduction
of part of the penA gene of N. flavescens, or a very
similar commensal Neisseria species, appears to have occurred
independently during the development of altered penA genes in
non-,B-lactamase-producing penicillin-resistant strains of N.
gonorrhoeae.
strains of Neisseria meningildis produce altered forms of
penicillin-binding protein 2 that have decreased affinity for
penicillin. The sequence of the penicillin-binding protein 2 gene
(penA) from a penicillin-resistant strain of N. meningitidis was
compared to the sequence of the same gene from penicillinsensitive
strains and from penicillin-sensitive and penicillinresistant
strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The penA genes from
penicillin-sensitive strains ofN. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitdis
were 98% identical. The gene from the penicillin-resistant strain
of N. meningitis consisted of regions that were almost identical
to the corresponding regions in the penicillin-sensitive strains
(<0.2% divergence) and two regions that were very different
from them (-22% divergence). The two blocks of altered
sequence have arisen by the replacement of meningococcal
sequences with the corresponding regions from the penA gene of
Neisseria flavescens and result in an altered form of penicillinbinding
protein 2 that contains 44 amino acid substitutions and
1 amino acid insertion compared to penicillin-binding protein 2
of penicillin-sensitive strains of N. meningitddis. A similar introduction
of part of the penA gene of N. flavescens, or a very
similar commensal Neisseria species, appears to have occurred
independently during the development of altered penA genes in
non-,B-lactamase-producing penicillin-resistant strains of N.
gonorrhoeae.
Date Issued
1989-11-01
Date Acceptance
1989-08-30
Citation
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1989, 86 (22), pp.8988-8992
ISSN
1091-6490
Publisher
National Academy of Sciences
Start Page
8988
End Page
8992
Journal / Book Title
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume
86
Issue
22
Copyright Statement
The author(s) retains copyright to individual articles published prior to 1992, and the author has given permission to post this article here. Proc. Nati. Acad. Sci. USA
Vol. 86, pp. 8988-8992, November 1989
Vol. 86, pp. 8988-8992, November 1989
Subjects
Science & Technology
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Science & Technology - Other Topics
MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES
Publication Status
Published