# ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE OF BACTEROIDES

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · 1990 · $161,449

## Abstract

Bacteroides species are the most important anaerobic bacteria causing human
disease in the United States, and are also the most numerous gram-negative
organisms in the gastrointestinal tract where they promote normal
physiologic function. Bacteroides can acquire resistance to all major
drugs. Genetic analysis of Bacteroides is essential to understand both the
normal physiology of these organisms and the development of drug
resistance. The objectives of this project continue to be the molecular
characterization of genetic mechanisms of antibiotic resistance transfer in
Bacteroides and the development of methods for the genetic manipulation of
these organisms. Considerable progress in Bacteroides genetics has been
made: E.coli/Bacteroides shuttle vector systems allow cloning and
manipulation of Bacteroides genes; both plasmid and non-plasmid conjugation
systems have been isolated, and Bacteroides genes for clindamycin (Cl-R)
and tetracycline (Tc-R) resistance have been cloned. Major questions in
Bacteroides genetics involve: 1) the molecular structure and function of
the anaerobic Tc-R locus which is widespread in Bacteroides and is a very
useful genetic marker, and 2) the mechanism underlying the novel,
non-plasmid-mediated conjugation systems that are widespread in
Bacteroides. The aims of this proposal are: 1) to map and sequence the
Bacteroides Tc-R gene that has been cloned but is not expressed in E. coli.
These studies will use standard deletion analysis and sequencing technology
as well as the shuttle-transfer system between E. coli and Bacteroides
mediated by IncP plasmids. 2) to use the cloned Tc-R and Cl-R genes in
cosmid and plasmid libraries to elucidate the mechanism of the non-plasmid
mediated conjugation systems of Bacteroides. Current evidence suggests that
these systems may be "conjugative transposons", but the mechanism of
transfer is not understood. The size of these transfer elements will be
mapped on overlapping cosmids, and the junctions between the elements and
the insertion sites in the chromosome will be located and sequenced to
determine the mechanisms of the recombination events. The genes and
cis-acting DNA sequences required for transfer of the elements will be
characterized, and a new site-specific recombination determinant located on
the transfer elements will be cloned and sequenced. These studies will
elucidate the basic mechanism of a new type of conjugal transfer system and
provide valuable tools for further genetic studies in Bacteroides.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3126656
- **Project number:** 2R01AI016463-11A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO
- **SAM.gov UEI:** UYTTZT6G9DT1
- **Principal Investigator:** Donald G. Guiney
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1990
- **Award amount:** $161,449
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 1980-02-01 → 1995-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3126656

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3126656, ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE OF BACTEROIDES (2R01AI016463-11A1). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3126656. Licensed CC0.

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