MOBILIZATION OF THE GENTAMICIN RESISTANCE GENE IN ENTEROCOCCUS-FAECALIS

Enterococcus faecalis plasmid pBEM10 (a conjugative plasmid encoding β-lactamase production and gentamicin resistance [Gm(r)]) was made transfer deficient by using Tn917. Relocation of the Gm(r) determinant into two sites on pCF10 was observed. Restriction analysis revealed insertion of a common 2.5-kilobase-pair HindIII and a 3.9-kilobase-pair HaeIII fragment encoding Gm(r), suggesting that this determinant resides on a transposon similar to Tn4001.