Gene cloning and characterization of KdeA, a multidrug efflux pump from Klebsiella pneumoniae

We cloned a gene related to multidrug resistance from a drug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strain MGH78578. We designated the gene kdeA, which encodes a protein possessing 12 hydrophobic regions. The deduced amino acid sequence of KdeA is similar to that of MdfA, a well-characterized multidrug efflux pump from Escherichia coli. Introduction of the kdeA gene into cells of the drug-hypersusceptible E. coli strain KAM32 resulted in elevated minimum inhibitory concentrations of chloramphenicol, norfloxacin, acriflavine, and ethidium bromide. We observed elevated energy-dependent ethidium efflux activity with cells carrying kdeA compared with control cells. We also observed expression of kdeA in cells of K. pneumoniae under normal growth conditions.