Antibiotic resistance in the multidrug resistance opportunistic bacterial pathogen Elizabethkingia

Our long-term goal is to better understand the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance of the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen Elizabethkingia. This environmental isolate is ubiquitous in nature, causes life-threatening infections in livestock, companion animals, and humans while exhibiting a multidrug-resistance phenotype. While most studies of this organism focus on ecological, epidemiological, and clinical relevance, little is know about the genetics and biochemical mechanisms of antibiotic resistance despite the multidrug resistance phenotype. The goal of this HATCH project is to examine the 12 predicted RND-type efflux genes of E. anophelis R26 determining which demonstrate antibiotic resistance activity, characterize the substrate specificities and inhibitor sensitivities, and observe gene expression levels and patterns to uncover the mechanisms of transcription level regulation for these genes.To test our central hypothesis, we propose the following research plan through three specific aims.Specific Aim 1. Determine if the 12 predicted RND-type efflux pumps of E.anophelis provide resistance to antibiotics.Specific Aim 2. Characterize the substrate and inhibitor specificities for eachfunctional RND-type efflux pump of E. anophelis identified.Specific Aim 3. Characterization of the E. anophelis RND efflux pump geneexpression and regulation.