Abstract
It is well established that multidrug-resistance efflux pumps encoded by bacteria can confer clinically relevant resistance to antibiotics. It is now understood that these efflux pumps also have a physiological role(s). They can confer resistance to natural substances produced by the host, including bile, hormones and host-defence molecules. In addition, some efflux pumps of the resistance nodulation division (RND) family have been shown to have a role in the colonization and the persistence of bacteria in the host. Here, I present the accumulating evidence that multidrug-resistance efflux pumps have roles in bacterial pathogenicity and propose that these pumps therefore have greater clinical relevance than is usually attributed to them.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 629-636 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Nature Reviews Microbiology |
Volume | 4 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2006 |