Identification of an Efflux Pump Gene, <i>pmrA</i> , Associated with Fluoroquinolone Resistance in <i>Streptococcus pneumoniae</i>

Abstract

An open reading frame (ORF) homologous to norA was insertionally inactivated with cat in a fluoroquinolone-resistant pneumococcus with an efflux phenotype; this inactivation caused reversion to drug sensitivity. The ORF product has 24% amino acid sequence identity each to NorA and Bmr, which suggests that it is a major facilitator system pump of the 12-transmembrane-segment class.