Detection of benzalkonium chloride resistance in community environmental isolates of staphylococci.

We isolated a total of 653 strains from 64 community environmental samples in Massachusetts, USA. Among these isolates, 9.65 % (63 strains) were benzalkonium chloride (BC)-resistant staphylococci.

EmmdR, a new member of the MATE family of multidrug transporters, extrudes quinolones from Enterobacter cloacae.

We cloned a gene, ECL_03329, from the chromosome of Enterobacter cloacae ATCC13047, using a drug-hypersensitive Escherichia coli KAM32 cell as the host. We show here that this gene, designated as emmdR, is responsible for multidrug resistance in E. cloacae.

SugE, a new member of the SMR family of transporters, contributes to antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacter cloacae.

We cloned a gene, sugE, from the chromosome of Enterobacter cloacae ATCC 13047. Analysis of the susceptibilities of the sugE-containing strain (Escherichia coli KAM32/pSUGE28) and sugE-deficient E. cloacae (EcΔsugE) showed that SugE confers resistance to cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, cetylpyridinium chloride, tetraphenylphosphonium, benzalkonium chloride, ethidium bromide, and sodium dodecyl sulfate.