Antibacterial activity of lividomycin toward R factor-resistant strains of Escherichia coli.

Forty-eight R factors conferring resistance to both kanamycin (KM) and streptomycin (SM) were demonstrated from 1,270 Escherichia coli strains of clinical origin. Among these R factors isolated, 42 also conferred resistance to the new antibiotic lividomycin (LV). Extracts of E. coli ML1410 carrying one such factor (R(M81)) inactivated LV as well as KM and SM. But extracts of E. coli ML1410 carrying an R factor (R(M82) or R(M83)) sensitive to LV could not inactivate LV. LV inactivation required both adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) and Mg(2+). Inactivated LV was reactivable by alkaline phosphatase. Isotopic studies with labeled ATP and elemental analysis of the reaction product indicate that it is a monophosphorylated derivative of LV.