The multidrug efflux transporter of Bacillus subtilis is a structural and functional homolog of the Staphylococcus NorA protein

Abstract

The Bacillus subtilis multidrug efflux transporter Bmr demonstrates 44% amino acid sequence identity with a product of the Staphylococcus aureus gene norA, which is responsible for clinically relevant resistance to fluoroquinolones. We show here that overexpression of bmr in B. subtilis provides strong resistance to fluoroquinolones that can be reversed by reserpine, an inhibitor of Bmr.