Association of mercury resistance with antibiotic resistance in the gram-negative fecal bacteria of primates
Article Abstract:
The mercury resistance gene mer was found to be closely associated with multiple antibiotic resistance genes in gram-negative bacteria from the intestines of monkeys and other primates. Several mer loci were identified and some of these were linked with genes for antibiotic resistance. There were also other mer loci found in antibiotic-susceptible gram-negative bacteria. The mer loci associated with multiple antibiotic resistance were also found to be associated with an integron, a genetic element capable of forming tandem arrays of antibiotic resistance genes.
Publication Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Subject: Biological sciences
ISSN: 0099-2240
Year: 1997
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Phylogeny of mercury resistance (mer) operons of gram-negative bacteria isolated from the fecal flora of primates
Article Abstract:
Nine distinct polymorphic mer loci carried by gram-negative fecal bacteria from human and non-human primates were analyzed to determine the phylogeny of Hg-resistance (mer) operons in environmental isolates. Six of the nine mer loci that were identified in bacteria cultivable from the primate flora are similar to recent environmental isolates while three are novel polymorphic mer loci. Furthermore, the mer operon of gram-negative bacteria is a modular mosaic structure that is similar to the bacteriophage lambda immunity region.
Publication Name: Applied and Environmental Microbiology
Subject: Biological sciences
ISSN: 0099-2240
Year: 1997
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Transposon Tn21, flagship of the floating genome
Article Abstract:
Studies conducted to understand molecular processes involved in the accumulation of and exchange of resistance genes by integron-carrying transposons have revealed that Tn21 and its relatives are major agents in the dissemination of mercury resistance and antibiotic resistance genes in gram negative bacteria. Tn21 has been found to encode resistances in older and newer antibiotics. These transposons have been observed in primate intestinal bacteria which became active when challenged by mercury released from dental amalgams.
Publication Name: Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews
Subject: Biological sciences
ISSN: 1092-2172
Year: 1999
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