Treat Me Well or Will Resist: Uptake of Mobile Genetic Elements Determine the Resistome of <i>Corynebacterium striatum</i>

• Main Authors: Benjamin Leyton, Juliana Nunes Ramos, Paulo Victor Pereira Baio, João Flávio Carneiro Veras, Cassius Souza, Andreas Burkovski, Ana Luíza Mattos-Guaraldi, Verônica Viana Vieira, Michel Abanto Marin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-07-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: <i>Corynebacterium striatum</i>; multidrug resistance mechanisms; insertion sequences; transposons; Tn5432; MLS phenotype
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/14/7499

<i>Corynebacterium striatum</i>, a bacterium that is part of the normal skin microbiota, is also an opportunistic pathogen. In recent years, reports of infections and in-hospital and nosocomial outbreaks caused by antimicrobial multidrug-resistant <i>C. striatum</i> strains have been increasing worldwide. However, there are no studies about the genomic determinants related to antimicrobial resistance in <i>C. striatum</i>. This review updates global information related to antimicrobial resistance found in <i>C. striatum</i> and highlights the essential genomic aspects in its persistence and dissemination. The resistome of <i>C. striatum</i> comprises chromosomal and acquired elements. Resistance to fluoroquinolones and daptomycin are due to mutations in chromosomal genes. Conversely, resistance to macrolides, tetracyclines, phenicols, beta-lactams, and aminoglycosides are associated with mobile genomic elements such as plasmids and transposons. The presence and diversity of insertion sequences suggest an essential role in the expression of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in genomic rearrangements and their potential to transfer these elements to other pathogens. The present study underlines that the resistome of <i>C. striatum</i> is dynamic; it is in evident expansion and could be acting as a reservoir for ARGs.