Composition of the outer membrane proteins of Escherichia coli strains in relation to serum susceptibility after exposure to subinhibitory concentrations of amikacin and ciprofloxacin.

The effect of subinhibitory concentrations of amikacin and ciprofloxacin on the susceptibility of Escherichia coli strains to the bactericidal action of normal human serum, outer membrane protein (OMP) expression and cell morphology was investigated. Sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs) of both antibiotics were found to alter the expression of some OMPs of serum-resistant E. coli rods, the morphology of their cells and made them sensitive to the bactericidal activity of normal human serum.