[Cross-resistance relationship between streptomycin and kanamycin resistances in Mycobacterium smegmatis (strain Jucho)--comparison of the development patterns of resistances to streptomycin and kanamycin among Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium complex, and Mycobacterium smegmatis].

The resistance development pattern of Mycobacterium smegmatis strain 17023 (Jucho) to streptomycin and kanamycin was studied. The medium used was Ogawa egg medium, and the level of resistance was determined for each clone derived from single colony by the 'actual count' method. Hence, the resistance level was estimated as the highest concentration of drugs, in which small inocula consisting of 20 to 100 colony-forming units could grow after seven days incubation. Only one type of resistance mutants resistant to more than 1,000 micrograms/ml streptomycin was isolated and these mutants were also resistant to 8 micrograms/ml kanamycin. On the other hand, only one type of kanamycin-resistant mutants resistant to 8 micrograms/ml kanamycin was isolated and these mutants were also resistant to more than 1,000 micrograms/ml streptomycin. Accordingly, there was a complete cross-resistance relationship between streptomycin and kanamycin resistances. Therefore, there existed only one phenotype, which is simultaneously resistant to streptomycin and kanamycin. The mutants occurred at a rate of about 2 x 10(-8) per viable bacterial population of the parent strain. Streptomycin-dependent mutants occurred at a rate of about 2 x 10(-9). The number of resistant phenotypes to streptomycin and kanamycin was only one in M. smegmatis, while it was five in M. tuberculosis and 2 or 3 in M. avium complex (Tsukamura, M. and Mizuno, S.: J. Gen. Microbiol. 88: 269-274, 1975; Tsukamura, M.: Kekkaku 62: 445-458, 1987). The simplicity of the resistance system of M. smegmatis suggests that this organism is evolutionally primitive in the world of mycobacteria.