Contribution of hypermutation to fosfomycin heteroresistance in Escherichia coli

To explore the effect of combining defects in DNA repair systems with the presence of fosfomycin-resistant mechanisms to explain the mechanisms underlying fosfomycin heteroresistance phenotypes in Enterobacteriaceae. We used 11 clinical Escherichia coli isolates together with isogenic single-gene deletion mutants in the E. coli DNA repair system or associated with fosfomycin resistance, combined with double-gene deletion mutants. Fosfomycin MICs were determined by gradient strip assay (GSA) and broth microdilution (BMD). Mutant frequencies for rifampicin (100 mg/L) and fosfomycin (50 and 200 mg/L) were determined. Using two starting inocula, in vitro fosfomycin activity was assessed over 24 h in growth (0.5-512 mg/L) and time-kill assays (64 and 307 mg/L). Strong and weak mutator clinical isolates and single-gene deletion mutants, except for ΔuhpT and ΔdnaQ, were susceptible by GSA. By BMD, the percentage of resistant clinical isolates reached 36%. Single-gene deletion mutants showed BMD MICs similar to those for subpopulations by GSA. Strong mutators showed a higher probability of selecting fosfomycin mutants at higher concentrations. By combining the two mechanisms of mutation, MICs and ranges of resistant subpopulations increased, enabling strains to survive at higher fosfomycin concentrations in growth monitoring assays. In time-kill assays, high inocula increased survival by 37.5% at 64 mg/L fosfomycin, compared with low starting inocula. The origin and variability of the fosfomycin heteroresistance phenotype can be partially explained by high mutation frequencies together with mechanisms of fosfomycin resistance. Subpopulations should be considered until clinical meaning is established.