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Functional role of bacterial multidrug efflux pumps in microbial natural ecosystems

  1. Jose Luis Martinez1,2,
  2. María Blanca Sánchez1,2,
  3. Laura Martínez-Solano1,2,
  4. Alvaro Hernandez1,2,
  5. Leonor Garmendia1,2,
  6. Alicia Fajardo1,2,
  7. Carolina Alvarez-Ortega1,2

Article first published online: 16 JAN 2009

DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2008.00157.x

Issue

FEMS Microbiology Reviews

FEMS Microbiology Reviews

Volume 33, Issue 2, pages 430–449, March 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Martinez, J. L., Sánchez, M. B., Martínez-Solano, L., Hernandez, A., Garmendia, L., Fajardo, A. and Alvarez-Ortega, C. (2009), Functional role of bacterial multidrug efflux pumps in microbial natural ecosystems. FEMS Microbiology Reviews, 33: 430–449. doi: 10.1111/j.1574-6976.2008.00157.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain

  2. 2

    CIBERESP, Madrid, Spain

*Correspondence: Jose Luis Martinez, Departamento de Biotecnología Microbiana, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Darwin 3, Cantoblanco, Madrid 28049, Spain. Tel.: +34 91 4854542; fax: +34 91 5854506; e-mail: jlmtnez@cnb.csic.es

  1. Editor: Ramon Diaz Orejas

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 13 FEB 2009
  2. Article first published online: 16 JAN 2009
  3. Received 24 October 2008; revised 4 December 2008; accepted 4 December 2008.First published online 16 January 2009.

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Keywords:

  • multidrug efflux pumps;
  • plant/bacteria interaction;
  • quorum sensing;
  • antibiotic resistance;
  • MDR;
  • bacterial ecology

Abstract

Multidrug efflux pumps have emerged as relevant elements in the intrinsic and acquired antibiotic resistance of bacterial pathogens. In contrast with other antibiotic resistance genes that have been obtained by virulent bacteria through horizontal gene transfer, genes coding for multidrug efflux pumps are present in the chromosomes of all living organisms. In addition, these genes are highly conserved (all members of the same species contain the same efflux pumps) and their expression is tightly regulated. Together, these characteristics suggest that the main function of these systems is not resisting the antibiotics used in therapy and that they should have other roles relevant to the behavior of bacteria in their natural ecosystems. Among the potential roles, it has been demonstrated that efflux pumps are important for processes of detoxification of intracellular metabolites, bacterial virulence in both animal and plant hosts, cell homeostasis and intercellular signal trafficking.

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