Comparison of activities of β-lactam antibiotics against Streptococcus pneumoniae with recombinant penicillin-binding protein genes from a penicillin-resistant strain

We investigated the antibacterial activities of 19 β-lactams against three recombinant bacterial strains, in which three penicillin-binding protein genes, pbp2x, pbp1a, and pbp2b, from penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP), were transformed to a penicillin-susceptible strain. By the acquisition of the pbp2x gene from PRSP, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of third-generation cephalosporins were increased more than eight fold. When the strain acquired the PRSP pbp1a gene in addition to pbp2x, the MICs of all tested β-lactams increased 2- to 16-fold. When the strain acquired the PRSP pbp2b gene in addition to pbp2x and pbp1a, the MICs of penicillins and carbapenems increased 4- to 16-fold. However, two novel carbapenems, ME1036 and L-036, showed excellent antibacterial activities against these recombinant strains, as well as against the parent PRSP.