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Journal of Bacteriology, June 2000, p. 3345-3352, Vol. 182, No. 12
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

An IS257-Derived Hybrid Promoter Directs Transcription of a tetA(K) Tetracycline Resistance Gene in the Staphylococcus aureus Chromosomal mec Region

Alice E. Simpson, Ronald A. Skurray, and Neville Firth*

School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia

Received 3 December 1999/Accepted 20 March 2000

Transcription of the tetA(K) tetracycline resistance determinant encoded by an IS257-flanked cointegrated copy of a pT181-like plasmid, located within the chromosomal mec region of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolate, has been investigated. The results demonstrated that transcription of tetA(K) in this strain is directed by both an IS257-derived hybrid promoter, which is stronger than the native tetA(K) promoter in the autonomous form of pT181, and a complete outwardly directed promoter identified within one end of IS257. Despite lower gene dosage, the chromosomal configuration was shown to afford a higher level of resistance than that mediated by pT181 in an autonomous multicopy state. Furthermore, competition studies revealed that a strain carrying the chromosomal tetA(K) determinant exhibited a higher level of fitness in the presence of tetracycline but not in its absence. This finding suggests that tetracycline has been a selective factor in the emergence of strains carrying a cointegrated pT181-like plasmid in their chromosomes. The results highlight the potential of IS257 to influence the expression of neighboring genes, a property likely to enhance its capacity to mediate advantageous genetic rearrangements.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: School of Biological Sciences, Macleay Building A12, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia. Phone: 61 2 9351-5035. Fax: 61 2 9351-4771. E-mail: nfirth{at}bio.usyd.edu.au.

Journal of Bacteriology, June 2000, p. 3345-3352, Vol. 182, No. 12
0021-9193/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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