Susceptibility of Proteus mirabilis and its Stable L -Forms to Erythromycin and Other Macrolides

Proteus spp. and, other Gram-negative rods have been reported to be highly resistant to macrolides 1 , but nothing is known about the mechanism of this natural resistance. Using Proteus mirabilis I have compared the susceptibilities of the normal bacillary forms and the so-called stable L -forms. Th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature (London) 1962-10, Vol.196 (4850), p.195-196
Main Author: TAUBENECK, UDO
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Antibiotics, Antitubercular
Erythromycin
Humanities and Social Sciences
letter
Leucomycins
Macrolides
multidisciplinary
Old Medline
Oleandomycin
Protein Synthesis Inhibitors
Proteus
Proteus mirabilis
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Spiramycin
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Summary:Proteus spp. and, other Gram-negative rods have been reported to be highly resistant to macrolides 1 , but nothing is known about the mechanism of this natural resistance. Using Proteus mirabilis I have compared the susceptibilities of the normal bacillary forms and the so-called stable L -forms. The latter are distinguished by the absence of the cell walls of the parent strain. The absence has been demonstrated by the lack of phage receptors 2,3 and by chemical analysis 4 . In this respect they are similar to the protoplasts of Gram-positive bacteria produced by the action of lysozyme 5 ; but, unlike these, they are able to grow well on solid media and may also be adapted to cultivation in broth. Like protoplasts, however, they do not revert to the normal rod forms, but grow indefinitely as L -forms even in the absence of penicillin, which was used for their induction in the first place.
ISSN:0028-0836
1476-4687
DOI:10.1038/196195b0