FEBS Lett 1992 Feb 24;298(2-3):133-6

Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence determination of the regulator region of mecA gene in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Hiramatsu K, Asada K, Suzuki E, Okonogi K, Yokota T

Department of Bacteriology, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan.

Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence analysis were performed for the identification of the regulator genes of methicillin resistance in the genome of a MRSA strain N315. Two open reading frames (orfs) were identified in the 5'-flanking region of the mecA gene. Predicted amino acid sequences of these orfs showed extensive homology to the co-inducer and the repressor protein of the penicillinase (PCase) production in Staphylococcus aureus as well as in Bacillus licheniformis. These orfs are considered to encode putative co-inducer and repressor proteins specific for the regulation of methicillin resistance in MRSA.