Impact of rpoB mutations on reduced vancomycin susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus

Yukiko Watanabe; Longzhu Cui; Yuki Katayama; Kishii Kozue; Keiichi Hiramatsu

doi:10.1128/JCM.02144-10

Impact of rpoB mutations on reduced vancomycin susceptibility in Staphylococcus aureus

J Clin Microbiol. 2011 Jul;49(7):2680-4. doi: 10.1128/JCM.02144-10. Epub 2011 Apr 27.

Authors

Yukiko Watanabe¹, Longzhu Cui, Yuki Katayama, Kishii Kozue, Keiichi Hiramatsu

Affiliation

¹ Department of Bacteriology, Graduate School of Medicine, Juntendo University, 2-1-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan.

Abstract

Of 38 vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) clinical strains, 27 (71%) possessed a mutation(s) in rpoB encoding the β-subunit of RNA polymerase. Furthermore, 95.6% of the rifampin-resistant mutants obtained from 9 methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) clinical isolates showed decreased vancomycin susceptibilities. These data indicate the involvement of an rpoB mutation in VISA phenotype expression.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / genetics*
Humans
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Mutation, Missense*
Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology
Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
Staphylococcus aureus / genetics*
Staphylococcus aureus / isolation & purification
Vancomycin / pharmacology*
Vancomycin Resistance*

Substances

Vancomycin
DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
RNA polymerase beta subunit