Identification of a new gene, , in operons of

• Published in: International journal of antimicrobial agents Vol. 37; no. 6
• Main Authors: Ribeiro, Tânia, Santos, Sofia, Marques, Maria Isabel Martins, Gilmore, Michael, Lopes, Maria de Fátima Silva
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 21-04-2011
• Subjects: Life Sciences; Microbiology and Parasitology; vanB operon; Enterococcus faecalis; Vancomycin resistance
• ISSN: 0924-8579
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2011.01.024

Subinhibitory concentrations of vancomycin are known to induce a cell-wall stimulon in some Gram-positive pathogens, but this has never been studied in the genus . In this study, V583 strain was submitted to a subinhibitory concentration of vancomycin. DNA microarray technology was used to analyse the transcriptomic changes induced by this antibiotic. EF2292, annotated as a hypothetical protein in the V583 genome, was highly induced in response to vancomycin exposure, to similar levels as the operon genes. We investigated further and provide evidence for co-transcription of with genes. It was also demonstrated that expression of is under the control of and it is proposed to name it . This gene was found not to be required for vancomycin resistance under the conditions tested, thus coding for another accessory protein in the operon. was detected in some, but not all, carrying the operon, suggesting that this operon can have different composition amongst isolates.