Mutational enzymatic resistance of Enterobacter species to beta-lactam antibiotics.

Mutants with enhanced beta-lactam resistance were selected from strains of Enterobacter cloacae and E. aerogenes by using three antibiotics. High-level beta-lactamase-producing mutants had similar degrees of increased resistance, enzyme substrate profiles, and isoelectric (pI) values irrespective of the selective agent. Reverse mutants from a resistant E. cloacae mutant regained the susceptibility pattern originally exhibited by the wild type, or were of enhanced susceptibility, and no longer expressed increased beta-lactamase production. beta-Lactamases of the mutants were similar in pI values to the wild-type enzyme. The increased resistance of the mutants therefore appeared to be accounted for by increased beta-lactamase production.