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July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequences of two methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus isolates representing a population subset highly prevalent in human colonization.

Here, we report the high-quality draft genome sequences of two methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 08-02119 and 08-02300. Belonging to sequence type 582 (ST582) and ST7, both isolates are representatives of clonal lineages often associated with asymptomatic colonization of humans. Copyright © 2016 Weber et al.


July 7, 2019

Interspecies dissemination of a mobilizable plasmid harboring blaIMP-19: the possibility of horizontal gene transfer in a single patient.

Carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacilli have been a global concern over the past 2 decades because these organisms can cause severe infections with high mortality rates. Carbapenemase genes are often carried by mobile genetic elements, and resistance plasmids can be transferred through conjugation. We conducted whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to demonstrate that the same plasmid harboring a metallo-ß-lactamase gene was detected in two different species isolated from a single patient. Metallo-ß-lactamase-producing Achromobacter xylosoxidans (KUN4507), non-metallo-ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KUN4843), and metallo-ß-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae (KUN5033) were sequentially isolated from a single patient and then analyzed in this study. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, molecular typing (pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing), and conjugation analyses were performed by conventional methods. Phylogenetic and molecular clock analysis of K. pneumoniae isolates were performed with WGS, and the nucleotide sequences of plasmids detected from these isolates were determined using WGS. Conventional molecular typing revealed that KUN4843 and KUN5033 were identical, whereas the phylogenetic tree analysis revealed a slight difference. These two isolates were separated from the most recent common ancestor 0.74 years before they were isolated. The same resistance plasmid harboring blaIMP-19 was detected in metallo-ß-lactamase-producing A. xylosoxidans and K. pneumoniae Although this plasmid was not self-transferable, the conjugation of this plasmid from A. xylosoxidans to non-metallo-ß-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae was successfully performed. The susceptibility patterns for metallo-ß-lactamase-producing K. pneumoniae and the transconjugant were similar. These findings supported the possibility of the horizontal transfer of plasmid-borne blaIMP-19 from A. xylosoxidans to K. pneumoniae in a single patient.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Cyanobium sp. NIES-981, a marine strain potentially useful for ecotoxicological bioassays.

Cyanobium sp. NIES-981 is a marine cyanobacterium isolated from tidal flat sands in Okinawa, Japan. Here, we report the complete 3.0-Mbp genome sequence of NIES-981, which is composed of a single chromosome, and its annotation. This sequence information may provide a basis for developing an ecotoxicological bioassay using this strain. Copyright © 2016 Yamaguchi et al.


July 7, 2019

Whole-genome sequence of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain BAMCPA07-48, isolated from a combat injury wound.

We report here the complete genome sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain BAMCPA07-48, isolated from a combat injury wound. The closed genome sequence of this isolate is a valuable resource for pathogenome characterization of P. aeruginosa associated with wounds, which will aid in the development of a higher-resolution phylogenomic framework for molecular-guided pathogen-surveillance. Copyright © 2016 Sanjar et al.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Indiana C629, a carbapenem-resistant bacterium isolated from chicken carcass in China.

The carbapenem-resistant Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Indiana strain C629 was isolated from a chicken carcass collected from a slaughterhouse in Qingdao, China. The complete genome sequence of C629 contains a circular 4,791,723-bp chromosome and a circular 210,106-bp plasmid. Genes involved in carbapenem resistance of this bacterium were identified by whole-genome analysis. Copyright © 2016 Wang et al.


July 7, 2019

Vibrio anguillarum is genetically and phenotypically unaffected by long-term continuous exposure to the antibacterial compound tropodithietic acid.

Minimizing the use of antibiotics in the food production chain is essential for limiting the development and spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. One alternative intervention strategy is the use of probiotic bacteria, and bacteria of the marine Roseobacter clade are capable of antagonizing fish-pathogenic vibrios in fish larvae and live feed cultures for fish larvae. The antibacterial compound tropodithietic acid (TDA), an antiporter that disrupts the proton motive force, is key in the antibacterial activity of several roseobacters. Introducing probiotics on a larger scale requires understanding of any potential side effects of long-term exposure of the pathogen to the probionts or any compounds they produce. Here we exposed the fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum to TDA for several hundred generations in an adaptive evolution experiment. No tolerance or resistance arose during the 90 days of exposure, and whole-genome sequencing of TDA-exposed lineages and clones revealed few mutational changes, compared to lineages grown without TDA. Amino acid-changing mutations were found in two to six different genes per clone; however, no mutations appeared unique to the TDA-exposed lineages or clones. None of the virulence genes of V. anguillarum was affected, and infectivity assays using fish cell lines indicated that the TDA-exposed lineages and clones were less invasive than the wild-type strain. Thus, long-term TDA exposure does not appear to result in TDA resistance and the physiology of V. anguillarum appears unaffected, supporting the application of TDA-producing roseobacters as probiotics in aquaculture.It is important to limit the use of antibiotics in our food production, to reduce the risk of bacteria developing antibiotic resistance. We showed previously that marine bacteria of the Roseobacter clade can prevent or reduce bacterial diseases in fish larvae, acting as probiotics. Roseobacters produce the antimicrobial compound tropodithietic acid (TDA), and we were concerned regarding whether long-term exposure to this compound could induce resistance or affect the disease-causing ability of the fish pathogen. Therefore, we exposed the fish pathogen Vibrio anguillarum to increasing TDA concentrations over 3 months. We did not see the development of any resistance to TDA, and subsequent infection assays revealed that none of the TDA-exposed clones had increased virulence toward fish cells. Hence, this study supports the use of roseobacters as a non-risk-based disease control measure in aquaculture. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of the hyperthermophilic and piezophilic archeon Thermococcus Piezophilus CDGST, able to grow under extreme hydrostatic pressures

We report the genome sequence of Thermococcus superprofundus strain CDGS(T), a new piezophilic and hyperthermophilic member of the order Thermococcales isolated from the world’s deepest hydrothermal vents, at the Mid-Cayman Rise. The genome is consistent with a heterotrophic, anaerobic, and piezophilic lifestyle. Copyright © 2016 Dalmasso et al.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequences of three outbreak-associated Legionella pneumophila isolates.

We report here the complete genome sequences of three Legionella pneumophila isolates that are associated with a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York in 2012. Two clinical isolates (D7630 and D7632) and one environmental isolate (D7631) were recovered from this outbreak. A single isolate-specific virulence gene was found in D7632. These isolates were included in a large study evaluating the genomic resolution of various bioinformatics approaches for L. pneumophila serogroup 1 isolates. Copyright © 2016 Morrison et al.


July 7, 2019

E. coli O157:H7 strain EDL933 harbors multiple functional prophage-associated genes necessary for the utilization of 5-N-acetyl-9-O-acetyl neuraminic acid as a growth substrate.

Enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157:H7 strain EDL933 harbors multiple prophage-associated open reading frames (orfs) in its genome, which are highly homologous to the chromosomal nanS gene. The latter is part of the nanCMS-operon, which is present in most E. coli strains and encodes an esterase, which is responsible for the mono-deacetylation of 5-N-acetyl-9-O-acetyl neuraminic acid (Neu5,9Ac2). Whereas one prophage-borne orf (z1466) has been characterized in previous studies, the functions of the other nanS-homologous orfs are unknown.In the current study, the nanS-homologous orfs of EDL933 were initially studied in silico Due to their homology to the chromosomal nanS gene and their location in prophage genomes, we designated them nanS-p, and numbered the different nanS-p alleles consecutively from 1-10. The two alleles nanS-p2 and nanS-p4 were selected for production of recombinant proteins, their enzymatic activities were investigated and differences in their temperature optima were found. Furthermore, a function of these enzymes in substrate utilization could be demonstrated using an E. coli C600?nanS mutant in a growth medium with Neu5,9Ac2 as carbon source and supplementation with the different recombinant NanS-p proteins. Moreover, generation of sequential deletion of all nanS-p alleles in strain EDL933, and subsequent growth experiments demonstrated a gene-dose-effect on the utilization of Neu5,9Ac2Since Neu5,9Ac2 is an important component of human and animal gut mucus, and the nutrient availability in the large intestine is limited, we hypothesize that the presence of multiple Neu5,9Ac2-esterases provides them a nutrient supply under certain conditions in the large intestine, even if particular prophages get lost.In this study, a group of homologous prophage-borne nanS-p alleles and two of the corresponding enzymes of enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157:H7 strain EDL933 are characterized that may be important to provide alternative genes for substrate utilization. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.


July 7, 2019

Homologous recombination within large chromosomal regions facilitates acquisition of beta-lactam and vancomycin resistance in Enterococcus faecium.

The transfer of DNA between Enterococcus faecium strains has been characterized by both the movement of well-defined genetic elements and by the large-scale transfer of genomic DNA fragments. In this work we report on the whole genome analysis of transconjugants resulting from mating events between the vancomycin-resistant E. faecium C68 strain and vancomycin susceptible D344RRF to discern the mechanism by which the transferred regions enter the recipient chromosome. Vancomycin-resistant transconjugants from five independent matings were analysed by whole genome sequencing. In all cases but one, the penicillin binding protein 5 gene (pbp5) and the Tn5382-vancomycin resistance transposon were transferred together and replaced the corresponding pbp5 region of D344RRF. In one instance, Tn5382 inserted independently downstream of the D344RRF pbp5 Single nucleotide variants (SNV) analysis suggests that entry of donor DNA into the recipient chromosome occurred by recombination across regions of homology between donor and recipient chromosomes, rather than through insertion sequence-mediated transposition. Transfer of genomic DNA was also associated with transfer of C68 plasmid pLRM23 and another putative plasmid. Our data are consistent with transfer initiated by a cointegration of a transferable plasmid with the donor chromosome, with subsequent circularization of the plasmid/chromosome cointegrate in the donor prior to transfer. Entry into the recipient chromosome occurs most commonly across regions of homology between donor and recipient chromosomes. Copyright © 2016 García-Solache et al.


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