Aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes associated with hospital isolates of Gram-negative rods.

Multi-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas isolated from clinical specimens at RNS were characterized for resistance phenotype and transferred resistant phenotype. These isolates were obtained over a two year period from different specimens and from patients with varying clinical syndromes. Twenty-six of these isolates were further characterized with respect to their aminoglycoside modifying enzymes.

Consumer survey on microbiology reports.

5 typical microbiology reports were circulated to the medical staff of a 900-bed teaching hospital and they were asked for their interpretations. Approximately 160 completed replies were received and it was clear that the reports were often misinterpreted; one report (isolation of a gram-negative rod from sputum) was misinterpreted by four doctors out of five. The reasons for this failure of communication seem to be the use of jargon and unfamiliar names of bacterial species, and use of ill-defined reporting conventions.

Biogenesis of mitochondria 48: mikamycin resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae--a mitochondrial mutation conferring resistance to an antimycin A-like contaminant in mikamycin.

Commercial preparations of mikamycin have been shown to act as both inhibitors of mitochondrial protein synthesis and respiration. These preparations are shown to consist of two major streptogramin components (mikamycin A and mikamycin B) and a number of minor components. The major streptogramin components which inhibit mitochondrial protein synthesis in vitro are without effect in vivo due to whole cell impermeability to these compounds.