Effect of variants of penicillin-binding protein 2 on cephalosporin and carbapenem susceptibilities in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Abstract

To characterize the relationship between penicillin-binding protein 2 (PBP2/penA) and susceptibility to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs) and carbapenem antibiotics, we compared 17 PBP2 variants in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Nonmosaic and mosaic variants of PBP2 caused decreased susceptibility to ESCs and, to a lesser extent, to carbapenems. An A501P substitution in mosaic XXXIV-A501P conferred decreased susceptibility to ESCs but restored carbapenem susceptibility to wild-type levels. These results could aid the molecular surveillance of antimicrobial resistance to these agents.