The molecular basis for antiseptic resistance in bacteria

By providing broad resistance to ubiquitous disinfectants and antiseptics and other environmental biocides, transporters from the small multidrug resistance (SMR) family drive the spread of multidrug resistance cassettes among bacterial populations. A fundamental understanding of substrate selectivity by SMR transporters is needed to identify the types of selective pressures that contribute to this process. Here, I will describe the molecular basis for the recognition of diverse substrates by SMR proteins, revealed through a combination of x-ray crystallography, biochemical, and electrophysiological approaches.