The aminoglycoside-resistance operon of the plasmid pSa: nucleotide sequence of the streptomycin-spectinomycin resistance gene.

The nucleotide sequence of the probable C terminus of the kanamycin-resistance gene (KmR) and the probable complete sequence of the streptomycin-spectinomycin-resistance gene (SpR) of the IncW plasmid pSa have been determined. The two genes appear to be oriented in the same direction and separated by a spacer region of 53 bp, with transcription proceeding from the KmR gene into the SpR gene. An RNA transcript encompassing the C terminus of the KmR gene, the 53-base spacer, and the N terminus of the SpR gene has the potential to form a stem-loop structure with a free energy value of -68 kcal/mol. The SpR gene of pSa has extensive sequence homology with the aadA gene of the plasmid R538-1. Comparison of the proposed amino acid sequence of the KmR protein of pSa with those of two aminoglycoside phosphotransferases revealed a region of potential homology with those proteins.