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Two genes for chloramphenicol resistance common to Staphylococci and streptococci

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Abstract

Southern blot hybridization and pneumococcal transformation were used to study the epidemiology at a molecular level of the genes for chloramphenicol resistance (cat) in streptococci and staphylococci. The cat gene of staphylococcal plasmid pC194 showed homology to the cat genes of the chromosomal elements of 5 different strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae and of Streptococcus agalactiae B109. DNA sequence homology was also detected between the cat gene of staphylococcal plasmid pC221 and the cat gene of broad host range conjugative plasmid pIP501, originally isolated from S. agalactiae. Two different cat genes appear to be present in clinical isolates of both streptococci and staphylococci.

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Author notes

  1. G. Pozzi & W. R. Guild

    Present address: Istituto di Microbiologia, Università di Verona, Strada le Grazie, 37134, Verona, Italy

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto di Microbiologia, Università di Siena, Via Laterina 8, 53100, Siena, Italy

    G. Pozzi

  2. Biochemistry Department, Duke University, 27710, Durham, North Carolina, U.S.A.

    W. R. Guild

Authors
  1. G. Pozzi
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Pozzi, G., Guild, W.R. Two genes for chloramphenicol resistance common to Staphylococci and streptococci. Eur J Epidemiol 4, 20–24 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00152687

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