Kanukollu U, Bieler S, Hull S, Hull R
J Med Microbiol. 1985 Feb;19(1):61-7. doi: 10.1099/00222615-19-1-61.
Antimicrobial resistance plasmids containing the traT gene confer resistance to serum bactericidal activity upon some laboratory strains of Escherichia coli. We have examined the DNA of Enterobacteriaceae from human extraintestinal infections to determine the frequency of traT-like genes. DNA sequences homologous with traT were found among 58% of Escherichieae but among none of the Klebsielleae or Proteeae tested and were found as frequently among serum-sensitive E. coli as among serum-resistant strains. Sequences related to traT were always associated with large plasmids. The potential contribution of traT-containing plasmids to serum resistance of clinical isolates is discussed.
