scholarly journals Identification and Molecular Characterization of Class 1 Integrons in Multiresistant Escherichia coli Isolates from Poultry Litter

2012 ◽  
Vol 78 (15) ◽  
pp. 5444-5447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Ponce-Rivas ◽  
María-Enriqueta Muñoz-Márquez ◽  
Ashraf A. Khan

ABSTRACTThis study describes the prevalence of arrays of class 1 integron cassettes and Qnr determinants (A, B, and S) in 19 fluoroquinolone-resistantEscherichia coliisolates from chicken litter.qnrSandqnrAwere the predominant genes in these fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates, and an uncommon array ofaacA4-catB3-dfrA1gene cassettes from a class1 integron was found. Additionally,aadA1anddfrA1gene cassettes, encoding resistance to streptomycin and trimethoprim, constituted the most common genes identified and was located on megaplasmids as well on the chromosome. Antibiotic resistance, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and plasmid data suggest a genetically diverse origin of poultryE. coliisolates.

2015 ◽  
Vol 78 (8) ◽  
pp. 1442-1450 ◽  
Author(s):  
KANJANA CHANGKAEW ◽  
APIRADEE INTARAPUK ◽  
FUANGFA UTRARACHKIJ ◽  
CHIE NAKAJIMA ◽  
ORASA SUTHIENKUL ◽  
...  

Administration of antimicrobials to food-producing animals increases the risk of higher antimicrobial resistance in the normal intestinal flora of these animals. The present cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate antimicrobial susceptibility and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)–producing strains and to characterize class 1 integrons in Escherichia coli in healthy swine in Thailand. All 122 of the tested isolates had drug-resistant phenotypes. High resistance was found to ampicillin (98.4% of isolates), chloramphenicol (95.9%), gentamicin (78.7%), streptomycin (77.9%), tetracycline (74.6%), and cefotaxime (72.1%). Fifty-four (44.3%) of the E. coli isolates were confirmed as ESBL-producing strains. Among them, blaCTX-M (45 isolates) and blaTEM (41 isolates) were detected. Of the blaCTX-M-positive E. coli isolates, 37 carried the blaCTX-M-1 cluster, 12 carried the blaCTX-M-9 cluster, and 5 carried both clusters. Sequence analysis revealed blaTEM-1, blaTEM-135, and blaTEM-175 in 38, 2, and 1 isolate, respectively. Eighty-seven (71%) of the 122isolates carried class 1 integrons, and eight distinct drug-resistance gene cassettes with seven different integron profiles were identified in 43 of these isolates. Gene cassettes were associated with resistance to aminoglycosides (aadA1, aadA2, aadA22, or aadA23), trimethoprim (dfrA5, dfrA12, or dfrA17), and lincosamide (linF). Genes encoding β-lactamases were not found in class 1 integrons. This study is the first to report ESBL-producing E. coli with a class 1 integron carrying the linF gene cassette in swine in Thailand. Our findings confirm that swine can be a reservoir of ESBL-producing E. coli harboring class 1 integrons, which may become a potential health risk if these integrons are transmitted to humans. Intensive analyses of animal, human, and environmental isolates are needed to control the spread of ESBL-producing E. coli strains.


2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (20) ◽  
pp. 7104-7112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Karczmarczyk ◽  
Yvonne Abbott ◽  
Ciara Walsh ◽  
Nola Leonard ◽  
Séamus Fanning

ABSTRACTIn this study, we examined molecular mechanisms associated with multidrug resistance (MDR) in a collection ofEscherichia coliisolates recovered from hospitalized animals in Ireland. PCR and DNA sequencing were used to identify genes associated with resistance. Class 1 integrons were prevalent (94.6%) and contained gene cassettes recognized previously and implicated mainly in resistance to aminoglycosides, β-lactams, and trimethoprim (aadA1,dfrA1-aadA1,dfrA17-aadA5,dfrA12-orfF-aadA2,blaOXA-30-aadA1,aacC1-orf1-orf2-aadA1,dfr7). Class 2 integrons (13.5%) contained thedfrA1-sat1-aadA1gene array. The most frequently occurring phenotypes included resistance to ampicillin (97.3%), chloramphenicol (75.4%), florfenicol (40.5%), gentamicin (54%), neomycin (43.2%), streptomycin (97.3%), sulfonamide (98.6%), and tetracycline (100%). The associated resistance determinants detected includedblaTEM,cat,floR,aadB,aphA1,strA-strB,sul2, andtet(B), respectively. TheblaCTX-M-2gene, encoding an extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESβL), andblaCMY-2, encoding an AmpC-like enzyme, were identified in 8 and 18 isolates, respectively. The mobility of the resistance genes was demonstrated using conjugation assays with a representative selection of isolates. High-molecular-weight plasmids were found to be responsible for resistance to multiple antimicrobial compounds. The study demonstrated that animal-associated commensalE. coliisolates possess a diverse repertoire of transferable genetic determinants. Emergence of ESβLs and AmpC-like enzymes is particularly significant. To our knowledge, theblaCTX-M-2gene has not previously been reported in Ireland.


2001 ◽  
Vol 183 (1) ◽  
pp. 235-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thierry Naas ◽  
Yuzuru Mikami ◽  
Tamae Imai ◽  
Laurent Poirel ◽  
Patrice Nordmann

ABSTRACT Further characterization of the genetic environment of the gene encoding the Escherichia coli extended-spectrum β-lactamase, bla VEB-1, revealed the presence of a plasmid-located class 1 integron, In53, which carried eight functional resistance gene cassettes in addition tobla VEB-1. While the aadB and the arr-2 gene cassettes were identical to those previously described, the remaining cassettes were novel: (i) a novel nonenzymatic chloramphenicol resistance gene of the cmlAfamily, (ii) a qac allele encoding a member of the small multidrug resistance family of proteins, (iii) a cassette,aacA1b/orfG, which encodes a novel 6′-N-acetyltransferase, and (iv) a fused gene cassette,oxa10/aadA1, which is made of two cassettes previously described as single cassettes. In addition, oxa10 andaadA1 genes were expressed from their own promoter sequence present upstream of the oxa10 cassette.arr-2 coded for a protein that shared 54% amino acid identity with the rifampin ADP-ribosylating transferase encoded by thearr-1 gene from Mycobacterium smegmatisDSM43756. While in M. smegmatis, the main inactivated compound was 23-ribosyl-rifampin, the inactivated antibiotic recovered from E. coli culture was 23-O-ADP-ribosyl-rifampin. The integrase gene of In53 was interrupted by an IS26 insertion sequence, which was also present in the 3′ conserved segment. Thus, In53 is a truncated integron located on a composite transposon, named Tn2000, bounded by two IS26 elements in opposite orientations. Target site duplication at both ends of the transposon indicated that the integron likely was inserted into the plasmid through a transpositional process. This is the first description of an integron located on a composite transposon.


Author(s):  
Jiangqing Huang ◽  
Fangjun Lan ◽  
Yanfang Lu ◽  
Bin Li

Background. Escherichia coli sequence type 131 (ST131) is an important multidrug-resistant extraintestinal pathogen, which can cause many kinds of infections. Integrons may play a crucial role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes. The purpose of this study was to characterize the prevelance of integrons among E. coli ST131 strains in China. Methods. Eighty-three E. coli ST131 isolates were used in this study. The antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by the disk diffusion method. The presence and characterization of class 1, 2, and 3 integrons, as well as promotor of gene cassettes and other antimicrobial resistance genes, were detected by PCR and DNA sequencing. Transfer of integrons was carried out using a broth culture mating method. Clonal relatedness of E. coli ST131 isolates was analyzed by PFGE. Results. Overall, 26.5% (22/83) of the E. coli ST131 isolates carried class 1 integrons. Class 2 and 3 integrons were not found in this study. Two types of gene cassette arrays were demonstrated in this study and were as follows: dfrA17-aadA5 and aac(6′)-Ib-cr-cmlA5. Only one type of Pc promoter variant was detected among 22 integron-positive isolates (PcW). In vivo transfer of integron was successful for 9 of integron-positive E. coli ST131 isolates harboring resistance gene cassettes. Results of PFGE demonstrated that the integron-positive E. coli ST131 isolates were grouped into 12 different PFGE clusters. Conclusions. Our study showed a low prevalence of integrons was detected in E. coli ST131. Continued surveillance of this mobile genetic element should be performed to study the evolution of antibiotic resistance among E. coli ST131.


2001 ◽  
Vol 67 (4) ◽  
pp. 1558-1564 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shaohua Zhao ◽  
David G. White ◽  
Beilei Ge ◽  
Sherry Ayers ◽  
Sharon Friedman ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT A total of 50 isolates of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), including 29 O157:H7 and 21 non-O157 STEC strains, were analyzed for antimicrobial susceptibilities and the presence of class 1 integrons. Seventy-eight (n = 39) percent of the isolates exhibited resistance to two or more antimicrobial classes. Multiple resistance to streptomycin, sulfamethoxazole, and tetracycline was most often observed. Class 1 integrons were identified among nine STEC isolates, including serotypes O157:H7, O111:H11, O111:H8, O111:NM, O103:H2, O45:H2, O26:H11, and O5:NM. The majority of the amplified integron fragments were 1 kb in size with the exception of one E. coli O111:H8 isolate which possessed a 2-kb amplicon. DNA sequence analysis revealed that the integrons identified within the O111:H11, O111:NM, O45:H2, and O26:H11 isolates contained the aadA gene encoding resistance to streptomycin and spectinomycin. Integrons identified among the O157:H7 and O103:H2 isolates also possessed a similaraadA gene. However, DNA sequencing revealed only 86 and 88% homology, respectively. The 2-kb integron of the E. coli O111:H8 isolate contained three genes, dfrXII,aadA2, and a gene of unknown function, orfF, which were 86, 100, and 100% homologous, respectively, to previously reported gene cassettes identified in integrons found inCitrobacter freundii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Furthermore, integrons identified among the O157:H7 and O111:NM strains were transferable via conjugation to another strain of E. coli O157:H7 and to several strains of Hafnia alvei. To our knowledge, this is the first report of integrons and antibiotic resistance gene cassettes in STEC, in particular E. coliO157:H7.


2019 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingyang Li ◽  
Peng Zhao ◽  
Lili Li ◽  
Haifeng Zhao ◽  
Lei Shi ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Microbial multidrug resistance (MDR) poses a huge threat to human health. Bacterial acquisition of MDR relies primarily on class 1 integron-involved horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). To date, no strategies other than the use of antibiotics can efficiently cope with MDR. Here, we report that an engineered CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system can markedly reduce MDR by blocking a class 1 integron in Escherichia coli. Using CRISPRi to block plasmid R388 class 1 integron, E. coli recombinants showed halted growth upon exposure to relevant antibiotics. A microplate alamarBlue assay showed that both subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) R3 and R6 led to 8- and 32-fold decreases in half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) for trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, respectively. Reverse transcription and quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed that the strain employing sgRNA R6 exhibited 97% and 84% decreases in the transcriptional levels of the dfrB2 cassette and sul1, two typical ARGs, respectively. RT-qPCR analysis also demonstrated that the strain recruiting sgRNA R3 showed a 96% decrease in the transcriptional level of intI1, and a conjugation assay revealed a 1,000-fold decrease in HGT rates of ARGs. Overall, the sgRNA R3 targeting the 31 bp downstream of the Pc promoter on the intI1 nontemplate strand outperformed other sgRNAs in reducing integron activity. Furthermore, this CRISPRi system is reversible, genetically stable, and titratable by varying the concentration of the inducer. To our knowledge, this is the first report on exploiting a CRISPRi system to reduce the class 1 integron in E. coli. This study provides valuable insights for future development of CRISPRi-based antimicrobial agents and cellular therapy to suppress MDR.


2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Akiko Kubomura ◽  
Tsuyoshi Sekizuka ◽  
Daisuke Onozuka ◽  
Koichi Murakami ◽  
Hirokazu Kimura ◽  
...  

Class 1 integrons (c1-integrons) are associated with multidrug resistance in diarrheagenic Escherichia coli (DEC). However, little is known about gene cassettes located within these c1-integrons, particularly truncated c1-integrons, in DEC strains. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to reveal the relationship between antimicrobial resistance and the presence of truncated c1-integrons in DEC isolates derived from human stool samples in Japan. A total of 162 human stool-derived DEC isolates from Japan were examined by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, PCR-based gene detection, and next-generation sequencing analyses. Results showed that 44.4% (12/27) of c1-integrons identified in the DEC isolates harbored only intI1 (an element of c1-integrons) and were truncated by IS26, Tn3, or IS1-group insertion sequences. No difference in the frequency of antimicrobial resistance was recorded between intact and truncated c1-integron-positive DEC isolates. Isolates containing intact/truncated c1-integrons, particularly enteroaggregative E. coli isolates, were resistant to a greater number of antimicrobials than isolates without c1-integrons. aadA and dfrA were the most prevalent antimicrobial resistance genes in the intact/truncated c1-integrons examined in this study. Therefore, gene cassettes located within these intact/truncated c1-integrons may only play a limited role in conferring antimicrobial resistance among DEC. However, DEC harboring truncated c1-integrons may be resistant to a greater number of antimicrobials than c1-integron-negative DEC, similar to strains harboring intact c1-integrons.


2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-340
Author(s):  
Mihaela Oprea ◽  
Madalina Cornelia Militaru ◽  
Adriana Simona Ciontea ◽  
Daniela Cristea ◽  
Violeta Cristea ◽  
...  

AbstractBecause little is known about the integrons which constitute an important means of spreading resistance in bacteria circulating in Romania, this study aimed to detect antibiotic resistance gene cassettes embedded in integrons in a convenient collection of 60 ciprofloxacin-resistant Escherichia coli isolates of various phylogroups, associated with community-acquired urinary tract infections. Characterization of the integrons was accomplished by PCR, restriction fragment length polymorphism typing, and DNA sequencing of each identified type. More than half of the tested E. coli strains were positive for integrons of class 1 (31 strains) or 2 (1 strain). These strains derived more frequently from phylogenetic groups A (15 of 21 strains), B1 (10 of 14 strains), and F (3 of 4 strains), respectively. While 20 strains carried class 1 integrons which could be assigned to nine types, eleven strains carried integrons that lacked the 3’-end conserved segment. The attempts made to characterize the gene cassettes located within the variable region of the various integrons identified in this study revealed the presence of genes encoding resistance to trimethoprim, aminoglycosides, beta-lactams or chloramphenicol. The evidence of transferable resistance determinants already established in the autochthonous E. coli strains highlights the need for improved control of resistance-carrying bacteria.


1999 ◽  
Vol 43 (12) ◽  
pp. 2925-2929 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia Bass ◽  
Cynthia A. Liebert ◽  
Margie D. Lee ◽  
Anne O. Summers ◽  
David G. White ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Antibiotic resistance among avian bacterial isolates is common and is of great concern to the poultry industry. Approximately 36% (n = 100) of avian, pathogenic Escherichia coli isolates obtained from diseased poultry exhibited multiple-antibiotic resistance to tetracycline, oxytetracycline, streptomycin, sulfonamides, and gentamicin. Clinical avian E. coli isolates were further screened for the presence of markers for class 1 integrons, the integron recombinase intI1 and the quaternary ammonium resistance gene qacEΔ1, in order to determine the contribution of integrons to the observed multiple-antibiotic resistance phenotypes. Sixty-three percent of the clinical isolates were positive for the class 1 integron markersintI1 and qacEΔ1. PCR analysis with the conserved class 1 integron primers yielded amplicons of approximately 1 kb from E. coli isolates positive for intI1 andqacEΔ1. These PCR amplicons contained the spectinomycin-streptomycin resistance gene aadA1. Further characterization of the identified integrons revealed that many were part of the transposon Tn21, a genetic element that encodes both antibiotic resistance and heavy-metal resistance to mercuric compounds. Fifty percent of the clinical isolates positive for the integron marker gene intI1 as well as for theqacEΔ1 and aadA1 cassettes also contained the mercury reductase gene merA. The correlation between the presence of the merA gene with that of the integrase and antibiotic resistance genes suggests that these integrons are located in Tn21. The presence of these elements among avianE. coli isolates of diverse genetic makeup as well as inSalmonella suggests the mobility of Tn21 among pathogens in humans as well as poultry.


2019 ◽  
Vol 201 (20) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles T. Lauhon

ABSTRACT In bacteria, tRNAs that decode 4-fold degenerate family codons and have uridine at position 34 of the anticodon are typically modified with either 5-methoxyuridine (mo5U) or 5-methoxycarbonylmethoxyuridine (mcmo5U). These modifications are critical for extended recognition of some codons at the wobble position. Whereas the alkylation steps of these modifications have been described, genes required for the hydroxylation of U34 to give 5-hydroxyuridine (ho5U) remain unknown. Here, a number of genes in Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis are identified that are required for wild-type (wt) levels of ho5U. The yrrMNO operon is identified in B. subtilis as important for the biosynthesis of ho5U. Both yrrN and yrrO are homologs to peptidase U32 family genes, which includes the rlhA gene required for ho5C synthesis in E. coli. Deletion of either yrrN or yrrO, or both, gives a 50% reduction in mo5U tRNA levels. In E. coli, yegQ was found to be the only one of four peptidase U32 genes involved in ho5U synthesis. Interestingly, this mutant shows the same 50% reduction in (m)cmo5U as that observed for mo5U in the B. subtilis mutants. By analyzing the genomic context of yegQ homologs, the ferredoxin YfhL is shown to be required for ho5U synthesis in E. coli to the same extent as yegQ. Additional genes required for Fe-S biosynthesis and biosynthesis of prephenate give the same 50% reduction in modification. Together, these data suggest that ho5U biosynthesis in bacteria is similar to that of ho5C, but additional genes and substrates are required for complete modification. IMPORTANCE Modified nucleotides in tRNA serve to optimize both its structure and function for accurate translation of the genetic code. The biosynthesis of these modifications has been fertile ground for uncovering unique biochemistry and metabolism in cells. In this work, genes that are required for a novel anaerobic hydroxylation of uridine at the wobble position of some tRNAs are identified in both Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. These genes code for Fe-S cluster proteins, and their deletion reduces the levels of the hydroxyuridine by 50% in both organisms. Additional genes required for Fe-S cluster and prephenate biosynthesis and a previously described ferredoxin gene all display a similar reduction in hydroxyuridine levels, suggesting that still other genes are required for the modification.


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