Patent ID: 8012711

Claim:
A method of screening for compounds which reduce fluoroquinolone resistance in a microbe comprising an AcrAB efflux pump by inhibiting an activity of the AcrAB efflux pump, wherein the microbe comprises at least two of the following traits: i) at least one chromosomal mutation in a gene that renders the microbe resistant to one or more fluoroquinolones; ii) a second mutation (to the same gene or a different gene than in (i)) that further increases fluoroquinolone resistance, and iii) increased expression of the AcrAB efflux pump, comprising: contacting the microbe comprising the AcrAB efflux pump with a test compound and a fluoroquinolone, and measuring an effect of the test compound on a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the fluoroquinolone, wherein a decrease in the MIC of the fluoroquinolone is an indication that the test compound reduces fluoroquinolone resistance by inhibiting an activity of the AcrAB efflux pump.