Transferable imipenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

We isolated an imipenem-resistant strain, GN17203, of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The strain produced a beta-lactamase that hydrolyzed imipenem. The beta-lactamase was encoded by a 31-MDa plasmid, pMS350, which belongs to incompatibility group P-9. The plasmic conferred resistance to beta-lactams, gentamicin, and sulfonamide and was transferable by conjugation to P. aeruginosa but not to Escherichia coli. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 28,000, and the isoelectric point was 9.0. The enzyme showed a broad substrate profile, hydrolyzing imipenem, oxyiminocephalosporins, 7-methoxycephalosporins, and penicillins. The enzyme activity was inhibited by EDTA, iodine, p-chloromercuribenzoate, CuSO4, and HgCl2 but not by clavulanic acid or sulbactam.