Identification of Rifampicin Resistance Mutations in Escherichia Coli, Including an Unusual Deletion Mutation

Authors

Eugene Y. Wu, University of RichmondFollow
Angela K. Hilliker, University of RichmondFollow

DOI

10.1159/000484246

Abstract

Rifampicin is an effective antibiotic against mycobacterial and other bacterial infections, but resistance readily emerges in laboratory and clinical settings. We screened Escherichia coli for rifampicin resistance and identified numerous mutations to the gene encoding the β chain of RNA polymerase (rpoB), including an unusual nine nucleotide deletion mutation. Structural modeling of the deletion mutant indicates locations of potential steric clashes with rifampicin. Sequence conservation in the region near the deletion mutation suggests a similar mutation may also confer resistance during the treatment of tuberculosis.

Document Type

Post-print Article

Publication Date

2017

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2017, Karger. This article first published online: February 2018.

DOI: 10.1159/000484246

The definitive version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1159/000484246

Recommended Citation

Wu, Eugene Y., and Angela K. Hilliker. “Identification of Rifampicin Resistance Mutations in Escherichia Coli, Including an Unusual Deletion Mutation.” Journal of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology 27, no. 6 (2017): 356-62. https://doi.org/10.1159/000484246.