Mechanisms of resistance to clinically significant antibiotics of strains of bacteria of the genus Bacillus isolated from samples delivered from the International Space Station

The Russian segment of the International Space Station, as a closed habitat, is a favorable environment for the development of microorganisms. There are bacteria and fungi of various systematic groups, some of which can lead to infections. Thus, certain species of sporeforming bacteria of the genus Bacillus are dangerous In seven strains of bacteria of this genus, isolated from samples obtained at the station, resistence to such β-lactam antibiotics as penicillin, ampicillin, meropenem, a number of cephalosporin derivatives I (cefazolin), II (cefuroxime), III (ceftriaxone, cefoperazone, ceftazidime), IV (cefepime) generations, as well as the aminocyclitol antibiotic spectinomycin. It was found that all these strains are resistant to penicillin and ampicillin with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) from 16 to 2048 µg/ml, as well as to cephalosporin antibiotics and meropenem with a MIC value from 2 to 2048 µg/ml. Bacterial resistance to spectinomycin used in patients with allergy to β-lactams penicillins and cephalosporins is in the MIC range from 32 to 2048 µg/ml. The absence of active efflux pumps in B. licheniformis 7-12 with high MIC values for penicillin and ampicillin suggested that this strain has a β-lactamase defense mechanism against these antibiotics. In three more strains resistant to penicillin and ampicillin – B. subtilis 14-12, Bacillus sp. R2HG21, Bacillus sp. HEP3B2 functions another defense mechanism – active transport of the antibiotic from the cell, mediated by the presence of efflux pumps, functioning due to the electrochemical potential of the cell membrane. It has been shown that, in six strains of the studied bacilli, resistance to cephalosporin derivatives of the 3rd-4th generations of ceftriaxone, ceftazidime, cefepime and the aminocyclitol antibiotic spectinomycin is also apparently provided by systems of active outflow of xenobiotics belonging to the group of secondary transporters.

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