Cloning of nocardioform DNA conferring the ability to inactivate rifampicin

Abstract

A novel mechanism of resistance to rifampicin has recently been reported in which this antibiotic is inactivated. Here we describe the cloning of DNA from a nocardiofrom strain conferring this ability to inactivate rifampicin. Cloning was on the basis of complementation, as an increased resistance to the antibiotic. The genetic information was on a 8.3-kb BglII fragment.