Alteration of ribosomes and RNA polymerase in drug-resistant clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Abstract

The biochemical mechanism of resistance to kanamycin, viomycin, and rifampin in five clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was studied. Resistance to viomycin and kanamycin was attributed to altered ribosomes, whereas resistance to rifampin was attributed to an alteration of RNA polymerase. Ribosomal resistance was, however, not the only way of expressing resistance to viomycin and kanamycin.