Novel Florfenicol and Chloramphenicol Resistance Gene Discovered in Alaskan Soil by Using Functional Metagenomics

Abstract
Functional metagenomics was used to search for florfenicol resistance genes in libraries of cloned DNA isolated from Alaskan soil. A gene that mediated reduced susceptibility to florfenicol was identified and designated pexA. The predicted PexA protein showed a structure similar to that of efflux pumps of the major facilitator superfamily.