A novel gene for quinolone resistance was cloned from a transferable plasmid carried by a clinical isolate of Shigella flexneri 2b that was resistant to fluoroquinolones. The plasmid conferred low-level resistance to quinolones on Escherichia coli HB101. The protein encoded by the gene showed 59% amino acid identity with Qnr.

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Background: Terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase (TdT) is a DNA polymerase that enhances Ig and TcR gene diversity in the N region in B-and T-cells. TdT is found as a member of a large protein complex in the lysate of the thymocytes. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of the synthesis of the N region, we first attempted to isolate the genes with products that are interacting directly with TdT.

We recently identified HIV-2 CRF01_AB cases in Japan. This ectopic observation of the virus outside its original endemic area suggests an ongoing global spread of HIV-2 CRF01_AB.