Genomewide overexpression screen for fosfomycin resistance in Escherichia coli: Mura confers clinical resistance at low fitness cost

Abstract

To determine whether the overexpression of chromosomal genes can confer fosfomycin resistance, genomewide screening of a complete set of 5,272 plasmid-expressed open reading frames of Escherichia coli (ASKA collection) was performed. Major results are that (i) no clinical level of resistance is achieved by overexpressing chromosomal genes, except murA; (ii) this level is reached at a low fitness cost; and (iii) this cost is much lower than that imposed by other mutations conferring fosfomycin resistance. Copyright © 2012, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.