Weak mutators can drive the evolution of fluoroquinolone resistance in Escherichia coli

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2006 Oct;50(10):3454-6. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00783-06.

Abstract

Weak mutators are common among clinical isolates of Escherichia coli. We show that the relative mutation rate and the "evolvability of fluoroquinolone resistance" are related by a power law slope of 1.2 over 3 orders of magnitude. Thus, even weak mutators can drive the evolution of fluoroquinolone resistance under selection pressure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Drug Resistance, Bacterial / genetics*
  • Escherichia coli K12 / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli K12 / genetics*
  • Escherichia coli K12 / growth & development
  • Escherichia coli Proteins / genetics
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Fluoroquinolones / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mutation*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Escherichia coli Proteins
  • Fluoroquinolones