Contribution of the CmeABC efflux pump to macrolide and tetracycline resistance in Campylobacter jejuni

We investigated the involvement of the CmeABC efflux pump in acquired resistance of Campylobacter jejuni to macrolides and tetracycline. Inactivation of the cmeB gene had no effect on macrolide resistance when all copies of the target gene carried an A2074C mutation. In contrast, the CmeABC pump significantly contributed to macrolide resistance when two or three copies of the 23S rRNA had an A2075G transition. Inactivation of the cmeB gene led to restoration of tetracycline susceptibility in the isolates examined. Complete susceptibility to tetracycline or macrolides, however, was not restored when phenylalanine-arginine P-naphthylamide was used. These data confirm contribution of the CmeABC efflux pump to acquired resistance of Campylobacter jejuni to tetracycline and macrolides.