Quinolone Resistance: Much More than Predicted
Open Access
- 1 January 2011
- journal article
- Published by Frontiers Media SA in Frontiers in Microbiology
- Vol. 2, 22
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2011.00022
Abstract
Since quinolones are synthetic antibiotics, it was predicted that mutations in target genes would be the only mechanism through which resistance could be acquired, because there will not be quinolone-resistance genes in nature. Contrary to this prediction, a variety of elements ranging from efflux pumps, target-protecting proteins, and even quinolone-modifying enzymes have been shown to contribute to quinolone resistance. The finding of some of these elements in plasmids indicates that quinolone resistance can be transferable. As a result, there has been a developing interest on the reservoirs for quinolone-resistance genes and on the potential risks associated with the use of these antibiotics in non-clinical environments. As a matter of fact, plasmid-encoded, quinolone-resistance qnr genes originated in the chromosome of aquatic bacteria. Thus the use of quinolones in fish-farming might constitute a risk for the emergence of resistance. Failure to predict the development of quinolone resistance reinforces the need of taking into consideration the wide plasticity of biological systems for future predictions. This plasticity allows pathogens to deal with toxic compounds, including those with a synthetic origin as quinolones.This publication has 94 references indexed in Scilit:
- Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance: a Multifaceted ThreatClinical Microbiology Reviews, 2009
- qnrD , a Novel Gene Conferring Transferable Quinolone Resistance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Kentucky and Bovismorbificans Strains of Human OriginAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2009
- Antibiotics and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Natural EnvironmentsScience, 2008
- The Neglected Intrinsic Resistome of Bacterial PathogensPLOS ONE, 2008
- Dissemination of Clonally RelatedEscherichia coliStrains Expressing Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase CTX-M-15Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2008
- Predicting antibiotic resistanceNature Reviews Microbiology, 2007
- Interaction of the Plasmid-Encoded Quinolone Resistance Protein Qnr with Escherichia coli DNA GyraseAntimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 2005
- The Multidrug Transporters Belonging to Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) in Mycobacterium tuberculosisMolecular Medicine, 2002
- Inactivation of Antibiotics and the Dissemination of Resistance GenesScience, 1994
- Mechanism of quinolone inhibition of DNA gyrase. Appearance of unique norfloxacin binding sites in enzyme-DNA complexes.1989