Genetic and Biochemical Studies on Drug‐Resistant Mutants in <i>Mycobacterium smegmatis</i>

Abstract

ABSTRACT Genetic analyses of the loci conferring resistance to antibiotics known to affect protein synthesis were made employing the conjugation system of Mycobacterium smegmatis . By the complementation tests, vic (viomycin–capreomycin‐resistant) mutants were classified into two different groups; cistrons A and B. Neomycin–kanamycin‐resistant ( nek ) mutants, on the contrary, fall into a single cistron. Erythromycin‐resistance ( ery ) locus was linked to vic–nek region. The map order deduced was argB, argA , ( vicA, vicB ), nek, ery . Biochemical studies showed that strains resistant to streptomycin, neomycin–kanamycin or viomycin–capreomycin had altered ribosomes.