Primary analysis on conjugational transfer multidrug resistance-related proteins of Shigella flexneri strain

AIM: To search for the new proteins related to multidrug resistance by comparing the proteomics of whole cellular proteins between sensitive strain and conjugational transfer anti-multidrug strain of Shigella flexneri.

METHODS: Clinical sensitive Shigella flexneri strain was transduced into anti-multidrug strain by conjugational transfer trials. Immobilized pH gradient (IPG) two-dimensional electrophoresis was adopted and the gels were analyzed by Image Master 2D Platinum software. Matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) were used to analyzed differential expression proteins.

RESULTS: Conjugational transfer anti-multidrug strain of Shigella flexneri was obtained successfully. It was found that there were 946±37 protein spots in the whole cellular protein 2-DE gels of sensitive strain and 1013±157 protein spots in that of conjugational transfer anti-multidrug strain. A total of 43 differential expression protein spots were found and 5 proteins related to multidrug resistance, including two new proteins (CRISPR-associated protein and heat shock protein chaperone Groel-Groes-Adp7), were identified based on peptide mass fingerprinting. ATP binding cassette transporter protein, cysteine synthase, predicted periplasmic or secreted lipoprotein protein were highly expressed in conjugational transfer anti-multidrug strain.

CONCLUSION: Some genes related to multidrug resistance of the donor can be transduced into sensitive strains and expressed highly. Meanwhile, the expression of some important cellular metabolic enzymes is up-regulated, and ATP binding cassette transporter protein plays an significant role in the mechanism of Shigella flexneri multidrug resistance.