Pleiotropic nature of mutation of resistance to 2,3,5-triphenyl- tetrazolium chloride of Francisella tularensis
Pavlovich, N.V.; Danilevskaia, G.I.; Khodova, V.A.; Ryzhko, I.V.; Mishan'kin, B.N.
Antibiotiki i Khimioterapiia 37(4): 28-31
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0235-2990 PMID: 1417312 Document Number: 398431
Natural strains of F. tularensis were characterized by sensitivity to 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC). Development of TTC resistance in the cells of F. tularensis was accompanied by changes in the biological properties of the culture, i.e. the colony morphology, antigenic structure, virulence and immunogenicity for laboratory animals. Moreover, there was a direct correlation between the levels of TTC resistance and resistance to chloramphenicol, erythromycin, tetracycline, furazolidone and rifampicin. The antibiotic resistant mutants of F. tularensis were in turn more resistant to TTC than the initial strains. This could be useful in isolation of polymarked strains of F. tularensis for genetic studies and investigation of the nature of the phenomenon of virulence in F. tularensis.