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July 7, 2019

Multiple genome sequences of exopolysaccharide-producing, brewery-associated Lactobacillus brevis strains.

Lactobacillus brevis represents one of the most relevant beer-spoiling bacteria. Besides strains causing turbidity and off flavors upon growth and metabolite formation, this species also comprises strains that produce exopolysaccharides (EPSs), which increase the viscosity of beer. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of three EPS-producing, brewery-associated L. brevis strains. Copyright © 2017 Fraunhofer et al.


July 7, 2019

Non-toxin-producing Bacillus cereus strains belonging to the B. anthracis clade isolated from the International Space Station.

In an ongoing Microbial Observatory investigation of the International Space Station (ISS), 11 Bacillus strains (2 from the Kibo Japanese experimental module, 4 from the U.S. segment, and 5 from the Russian module) were isolated and their whole genomes were sequenced. A comparative analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of these isolates showed the highest similarity (>99%) to the Bacillus anthracis-B. cereus-B. thuringiensis group. The fatty acid composition, polar lipid profile, peptidoglycan type, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight profiles were consistent with the B. cereus sensu lato group. The phenotypic traits such as motile rods, enterotoxin production, lack of capsule, and resistance to gamma phage/penicillin observed in ISS isolates were not characteristics of B. anthracis. Whole-genome sequence characterizations showed that ISS strains had the plcR non-B. anthracis ancestral “C” allele and lacked anthrax toxin-encoding plasmids pXO1 and pXO2, excluding their identification as B. anthracis. The genetic identities of all 11 ISS isolates characterized via gyrB analyses arbitrarily identified them as members of the B. cereus group, but traditional DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) showed that the ISS isolates are similar to B. anthracis (88% to 90%) but distant from the B. cereus (42%) and B. thuringiensis (48%) type strains. The DDH results were supported by average nucleotide identity (>98.5%) and digital DDH (>86%) analyses. However, the collective phenotypic traits and genomic evidence were the reasons to exclude the ISS isolates from B. anthracis. Nevertheless, multilocus sequence typing and whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism analyses placed these isolates in a clade that is distinct from previously described members of the B. cereus sensu lato group but closely related to B. anthracis. IMPORTANCE The International Space Station Microbial Observatory (Microbial Tracking-1) study is generating a microbial census of the space station’s surfaces and atmosphere by using advanced molecular microbial community analysis techniques supported by traditional culture-based methods and modern bioinformatic computational modeling. This approach will lead to long-term, multigenerational studies of microbial population dynamics in a closed environment and address key questions, including whether microgravity influences the evolution and genetic modification of microorganisms. The spore-forming Bacillus cereus sensu lato group consists of pathogenic (B. anthracis), food poisoning (B. cereus), and biotechnologically useful (B. thuringiensis) microorganisms; their presence in a closed system such as the ISS might be a concern for the health of crew members. A detailed characterization of these potential pathogens would lead to the development of suitable countermeasures that are needed for long-term future missions and a better understanding of microorganisms associated with space missions.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequences of two Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis strains isolated from egg products in the United States.

Egg-associated salmonellosis is an important public health problem in many countries. Here, we report the genome sequences, including plasmids, of two strains of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis isolated from egg products in 2012 and 2013 in the United States. This will provide more information and insight into the research about egg-associated salmonellosis. Copyright © 2017 Hu et al.


July 7, 2019

Genetic and biochemical characterization of HMB-1, a novel subclass B1 metallo-ß-lactamase found in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolate.

To characterize a novel subclass B1 metallo-ß-lactamase (MBL) found in an MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolate.The isolate P. aeruginosa NRZ-03096 was recovered in 2012 from an anal swab from a patient hospitalized in Northern Germany and showed high MICs of carbapenems. MBL production was analysed by several phenotypic tests. Genetic characterization of the novel bla gene and MLST was performed by WGS. The novel bla gene was expressed in Escherichia coli TOP10 and the enzyme was subjected to biochemical characterization to determine the kinetic parameters K m and k cat .P. aeruginosa NRZ-03096 was resistant to all tested ß-lactams and showed an MBL phenotype. Shotgun cloning experiments yielded a clone producing a novel subclass B1 enzyme with only 74.3% identity to the next nearest relative, KHM-1. The novel MBL was named HMB-1 (for Hamburg MBL). Analysis of WGS data showed that the bla HMB-1 gene was chromosomally located as part of a Tn 3 family transposon that was named Tn 6345 . Expression of bla HMB-1 in E. coli TOP10 led to increased resistance to ß-lactams. Determination of K m and k cat revealed that HMB-1 had different hydrolytic characteristics compared with KHM-1, with lower hydrolytic rates for cephalosporins and a higher rate for imipenem.The identification of HMB-1 further underlines the ongoing spread and diversification of carbapenemases in Gram-negative human pathogens and especially in P. aeruginosa .


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Stenotrophomonas sp. KCTC 12332, a biotechnological potential bacterium.

Hydroxy fatty acids are used in various industries due to their availability, and in particular, Stenotrophomonas sp. has been regarded as a potential candidate for biotechnological applications, including biotransformation that hydrate unsaturated fatty acids into their derivatives. Here we complete the genome sequence of Stenotrophomonas sp. KCTC 12332 which has a size of 4,541,594bp (G+C content of 63.83%) with 3790 coding DNA sequences (CDSs), 67 tRNA and 3 rRNA operons. The genome contains gene encoding oleate hydratase that can convert oleic acid into 10-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


July 7, 2019

Characterization and genome comparisons of three Achromobacter phages of the family Siphoviridae.

In this study, we present the characterization and genomic data of three Achromobacter phages belonging to the family Siphoviridae. Phages 83-24, JWX and JWF were isolated from sewage samples in Paris and Braunschweig, respectively, and infect Achromobacter xylosoxidans, an emerging nosocomial pathogen in cystic fibrosis patients. Analysis of morphology and growth parameters revealed that phages 83-24 and JWX have similar properties, both have nearly the same head and tail measurements, and both have a burst size between 85 and 100 pfu/cell. In regard to morphological properties, JWF had a much longer and more flexible tail compared to other phages. The linear double-stranded DNAs of all three phages are terminally redundant and not circularly permutated. The complete nucleotide sequences consist of 81,541 bp for JWF, 49,714 bp for JWX and 48,216 bp for 83-24. Analysis of the genome sequences showed again that phages JWX and 83-24 are quite similar. Comparison to the GenBank database via BLASTN revealed partial similarities to Roseobacter phage RDJL phi1 and Burkholderia phage BcepGomr. In contrast, BLASTN analysis of the genome sequence of phage JWF revealed only few similarities to non-annotated prophage regions in different strains of Burkholderia and Mesorhizobium.


July 7, 2019

Starvation and recovery in the deep-sea methanotroph Methyloprofundus sedimenti.

In the deep ocean, the conversion of methane into derived carbon and energy drives the establishment of diverse faunal communities. Yet specific biological mechanisms underlying the introduction of methane-derived carbon into the food web remain poorly described, due to a lack of cultured representative deep-sea methanotrophic prokaryotes. Here, the response of the deep-sea aerobic methanotroph Methyloprofundus sedimenti to methane starvation and recovery was characterized. By combining lipid analysis, RNA analysis, and electron cryotomography, it was shown that M. sedimenti undergoes discrete cellular shifts in response to methane starvation, including changes in headgroup-specific fatty acid saturation levels, and reductions in cytoplasmic storage granules. Methane starvation is associated with a significant increase in the abundance of gene transcripts pertinent to methane oxidation. Methane reintroduction to starved cells stimulates a rapid, transient extracellular accumulation of methanol, revealing a way in which methane-derived carbon may be routed to community members. This study provides new understanding of methanotrophic responses to methane starvation and recovery, and lays the initial groundwork to develop Methyloprofundus as a model chemosynthesizing bacterium from the deep sea.© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.


July 7, 2019

Genome sequence of Oxalobacter formigenes strain HC-1.

The lack of Oxalobacter formigenes colonization of the human gut has been correlated with the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones and also with the number of recurrent kidney stone episodes. Here, we present the genome sequence of HC-1, a human strain isolated from an individual residing in Iowa, USA. Copyright © 2017 Hatch et al.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Microbulbifer sp. CCB-MM1, a halophile isolated from Matang Mangrove Forest, Malaysia.

Microbulbifer sp. CCB-MM1 is a halophile isolated from estuarine sediment of Matang Mangrove Forest, Malaysia. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain CCB-MM1 is a potentially new species of genus Microbulbifer. Here we describe its features and present its complete genome sequence with annotation. The genome sequence is 3.86 Mb in size with GC content of 58.85%, harbouring 3313 protein coding genes and 92 RNA genes. A total of 71 genes associated with carbohydrate active enzymes were found using dbCAN. Ectoine biosynthetic genes, ectABC operon and ask_ect were detected using antiSMASH 3.0. Cell shape determination genes, mreBCD operon, rodA and rodZ were annotated, congruent with the rod-coccus cell cycle of the strain CCB-MM1. In addition, putative mreBCD operon regulatory gene, bolA was detected, which might be associated with the regulation of rod-coccus cell cycle observed from the strain.


July 7, 2019

Genomic characterization of a large plasmid containing a bla NDM-1 gene carried on Salmonella enterica serovar Indiana C629 isolate from China.

The bla NDM-1 gene in Salmonella species is mostly reported in clinical cases, but is rarely isolated from red and white meat in China.A Salmonella Indiana (S. Indiana) isolate was cultured from a chicken carcass procured from a slaughterhouse in China. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested against a panel of agents. Whole-genome sequencing of the isolate was carried out and data was analyzed.A large plasmid, denoted as plasmid pC629 (210,106 bp), containing a composite cassette, consisting of IS26-bla NDM-1-ble MBL -?trpF-tat-cutA-ISCR1-sul1-qacE?1-aadA2-dfrA12-intI1-IS26 was identified. The latter locus was physically linked with bla OXA-1, bla CTX-M-65, bla TEM-1-encoding genes. A mercury resistance operon merACDEPTR was also identified; it was flanked on the proximal side, among IS26 element and the distally located on the bla NDM-1 gene. Plasmid pC629 also contained 21 other antimicrobial resistance-encoding genes, such as aac(6′)-Ib-cr, aac(3)-VI, aadA5, aph(4)-Ia, arr-3, blmS, brp, catB3, dfrA17, floR, fosA, mph(A), mphR, mrx, nimC/nimA, oqxA, oqxB, oqxR, rmtB, sul1, sul2. Two virulence genes were also identified on plasmid pC629.To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of bla NDM-1 gene being identified from a plasmid in a S. Indiana isolate cultured from chicken carcass in China.


July 7, 2019

Detection of an Escherichia coli sequence type 167 strain with two tandem copies of blaNDM-1 in the chromosome.

New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase-1 (NDM-1)-producing Enterobacteriaceae has disseminated rapidly throughout the world and poses an urgent threat to public health. Previous studies confirmed that the blaNDM-1 gene is typically carried in plasmids but rarely in chromosome. We discovered a multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strain Y5, originating from a urine sample and containing the blaNDM-1 gene, which did not transfer by either conjugation or electrotransformation. We confirmed the possibility of its chromosome location by S1-pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and XbaI-PFGE, followed by Southern blotting. To determine the genomic background of blaNDM-1, the genome of Y5 was completely sequenced and compared to other reference genomes. The results of our study revealed that this isolate consists of a 4.8-Mbp chromosome and three plasmids, it is an epidemic clone of sequence type (ST) 167, and it shows 99% identity with Escherichia coli 6409 (GenBank accession no. CP010371), which lacks the same blaNDM-1 gene-surrounding structure as Y5. The blaNDM-1 gene is embedded in the chromosome along with two tandem copies of an insertion sequence common region 1 (ISCR1) element (sul1-ARR-3-cat-blaNDM-1-bleo-ISCR1), which appears intact in the plasmid from Proteus mirabilis (GenBank accession no. KP662515). The genomic context indicates that the ISCR1 element mediated the blaNDM-1 transposition from a single source plasmid to the chromosome. Our study is the first report of an Enterobacteriaceae strain harboring a chromosomally integrated blaNDM-1, which directly reveals the vertical spreading pattern of the gene. Close surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the emergence and potential spread of ST167 strains that harbor blaNDM-1. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Microbiology.


July 7, 2019

Emergence of Klebsiella variicola positive for NDM-9, a variant of New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase, in an urban river in South Korea.

To examine the presence of pathogenic bacteria carrying New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase in the environment and to characterize the genome structures of these strains.Phenotypic screening of antimicrobial susceptibility and WGS were conducted on three Klebsiella variicola strains possessing NDM-9 isolated from an urban river.Three carbapenem-resistant K. variicola isolated from Gwangju tributary were found to possess bla NDM-9 genes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing indicated resistance of these strains to aminoglycosides, carbapenems, cephems, folate pathway inhibitors, fosfomycin and penicillins, but susceptibility to fluoroquinolones, phenicols, tetracyclines and miscellaneous agents. WGS revealed that the 108 kb IncFII(Y)-like plasmids carry bla NDM-9 sandwiched between IS 15 for the GJ1 strain, IS 26 for the GJ2 strain, IS 15D1 for the GJ3 strain and IS Vsa3 , and further bracketed by IS 26 and Tn AS3 along with the mercury resistance operon upstream and the class 1 integron composed of gene cassettes of aadA2 , dfrA12 and sul1 downstream. An aph(3′)-Ia gene conferring resistance to aminoglycosides is located after the integrons. Chromosomally encoded bla LEN-13 , fosA , aqxA and oqxB genes, as well as plasmid-mediated bla TEM-1B and bla CTX-M-65 encoding ESBL, ant(3′)-Ia and mph (A) genes, were also identified.The findings of the present study provide us with the information that NDM-9 has been spreading into the environment. Dissemination of NDM-9 in the environment has raised a health risk alarm as this variant of NDM carries MDR genes with highly transferable mobile genetic elements, increasing the possibility of resistance gene transfer among microorganisms in the environment.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Marinifilaceae bacterium strain SPP2, isolated from the Antarctic marine sediment

Marinifilaceae bacterium strain SPP2 is a Gram-negative facultative anaerobe, isolated from the Antarctic marine sediment. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of Marinifilaceae bacterium strain SPP2, which consists of 5,718,991 bp with a G + C content of 35.99%. The genome data provides insights of microbial evolution and adaption in the Antarctic marine ecosystem.


July 7, 2019

Expanding landscapes of the diversified mcr-1-bearing plasmid reservoirs.

Polymyxin is a cationic polypeptide antibiotic that can disrupt bacterial cell membrane by interacting with its lipopolysaccharide molecules and is used as a last resort drug against lethal infections by the carbapenem-resistant superbugs (like NDM-1). However, global discovery of the MCR-1 colistin resistance dramatically challenges the newly renewed interest in colistin for clinical use.The mcr-1-harboring plasmids were acquired from swine and human Escherichia coli isolated in China, from 2015 to 2016, and subjected to Illumina PacBio RSII and Hi-Seq2000 for full genome sequencing. PCR was applied to close the gap of the assembled contigs. Ori-Finder was employed to predict the replication origin (oriC) in plasmids. The phenotype of MCR-1-producing isolates was evaluated on the LBA plates with various level of colistin. Genetic deletion was used to test the requirement of the initial “ATG” codon for the MCR-1 function.Here, we report full genomes of over 10 mcr-1-harboring plasmids with diversified replication incompatibilities. A novel hybrid IncI2/IncFIB plasmid pGD17-2 was discovered and characterized from a swine isolate with colistin resistance. Intriguingly, co-occurrence of two unique mcr-1-bearing plasmids (pGD65-3, IncI2, and pGD65-5, IncX4) was detected in a single isolate GD65, which might accelerate dissemination of the mcr-1 under environmental selection pressure. Genetic analyses of these plasmids mapped mobile elements in the context of antibiotic resistance and determined two insertion sequences (ISEcp1 and ISApl1) that are responsible for the mobilization of mcr-1. Gene deletion also proved that the first ATG codon is redundant in the mcr-1 gene.Collectively, our results extend landscapes of the diversified mcr-1-bearing plasmid reservoirs.


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