Constitutive and Inducible Expression of the rRNA Methylase Geneerm(B) in Campylobacter

Abstract

ABSTRACTMacrolides are the antimicrobials of choice for treating human campylobacteriosis. The recent emergence oferm(B) inCampylobacterbacteria threatens the utility of this class of antibiotics. Here we report the constitutive and inducible expression oferm(B) inCampylobacterisolates derived from diarrheal patients and food-producing animals. Constitutive expression oferm(B) was associated with insertion and deletion in the regulatory region of the gene, providing the first documentation of the differential expression oferm(B) inCampylobacterbacteria.