Characterization of an IncFII plasmid encoding NDM-1 from Escherichia coli ST131.

• Main Authors: Rémy A Bonnin, Laurent Poirel, Alessandra Carattoli, Patrice Nordmann
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
• Series: PLoS ONE
• Online Access: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmid/22511964/pdf/?tool=EBI

<h4>Background</h4>The current spread of the gene encoding the metallo-ß-lactamase NDM-1 in Enterobacteriaceae is linked to a variety of surrounding genetic structures and plasmid scaffolds.<h4>Methodology</h4>The whole sequence of plasmid pGUE-NDM carrying the bla(NDM-1) gene was determined by high-density pyrosequencing and a genomic comparative analysis with other bla(NDM-1)-negative IncFII was performed.<h4>Principal findings</h4>Plasmid pGUE-NDM replicating in Escherichia coli confers resistance to many antibiotic molecules including β-lactams, aminoglycosides, trimethoprim, and sulfonamides. It is 87,022 bp in-size and carries the two β-lactamase genes bla(NDM-1) and bla(OXA-1), together with three aminoglycoside resistance genes aacA4, aadA2, and aacC2. Comparative analysis of the multidrug resistance locus contained a module encompassing the bla(NDM-1) gene that is actually conserved among different structures identified in other enterobacterial isolates. This module was constituted by the bla(NDM-1) gene, a fragment of insertion sequence ISAba125 and a bleomycin resistance encoding gene.<h4>Significance</h4>This is the first characterized bla(NDM-1)-carrying IncFII-type plasmid. Such association between the bla(NDM-1) gene and an IncFII-type plasmid backbone is extremely worrisome considering that this plasmid type is known to spread efficiently, as examplified with the worldwide dissemination of bla(CTX-M-15)-borne IncFII plasmids.