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July 7, 2019

Next-generation sequence analysis reveals transfer of methicillin resistance to a methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus strain that subsequently caused a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus outbreak: a descriptive study.

Resistance to methicillin in Staphylococcus aureus is caused primarily by the mecA gene, which is carried on a mobile genetic element, the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). Horizontal transfer of this element is supposed to be an important factor in the emergence of new clones of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) but has been rarely observed in real time. In 2012, an outbreak occurred involving a health care worker (HCW) and three patients, all carrying a fusidic acid-resistant MRSA strain. The husband of the HCW was screened for MRSA carriage, but only a methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strain, which was also resistant to fusidic acid, was detected. Multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) typing showed that both the MSSA and MRSA isolates were MT4053-MC0005. This finding led to the hypothesis that the MSSA strain acquired the SCCmec and subsequently caused an outbreak. To support this hypothesis, next-generation sequencing of the MSSA and MRSA isolates was performed. This study showed that the MSSA isolate clustered closely with the outbreak isolates based on whole-genome multilocus sequence typing and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis, with a genetic distance of 17 genes and 44 SNPs, respectively. Remarkably, there were relatively large differences in the mobile genetic elements in strains within and between individuals. The limited genetic distance between the MSSA and MRSA isolates in combination with a clear epidemiologic link supports the hypothesis that the MSSA isolate acquired a SCCmec and that the resulting MRSA strain caused an outbreak. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of the olive-infecting strain Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca De Donno.

We report here the complete and annotated genome sequence of the plant-pathogenic bacterium Xylella fastidiosa subsp. pauca strain De Donno. This strain was recovered from an olive tree severely affected by olive quick decline syndrome (OQDS), a devastating olive disease associated with X. fastidiosa infections in susceptible olive cultivars. Copyright © 2017 Giampetruzzi et al.


July 7, 2019

Genome Sequence of Oxalobacter formigenes Strain OXCC13.

The lack of Oxalobacter formigenes colonization in the human gut is generally acknowledged as a risk factor for kidney stone formation since this microorganism can play an important role in oxalate homeostasis. Here, we present the genome sequence of OXCC13, a human strain isolated from an individual residing in Germany. Copyright © 2017 Hatch et al.


July 7, 2019

First report of Klebsiella oxytoca strain simultaneously producing NDM-1, IMP-4 and KPC-2 carbapenemases.

The nucleotide sequences of five plasmids from one Klebsiella oxytoca isolate were determined using the PacBio RS II system. Plasmid analysis revealed that blaNDM-1 was carried on an IncX3 plasmid. The blaIMP-4 and blaKPC-2 genes were located on IncN and IncP-6 plasmids, respectively. Comparative sequence analysis highlighted the successful spread of carbapenemase-harboring plasmids among different enterobacterial species. We report for the first time, to our knowledge, coproducing NDM-1, KPC-2, and IMP-4 carbapenemases on a K. oxytoca isolate. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.


July 7, 2019

Genome evolution to penicillin resistance in serotype 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae by capsular switching.

Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates of serotype 3 were collected from cases of invasive pneumococcal disease (n= 124) throughout Japan between April 2010 and March 2013. A penicillin-resistantS. pneumoniae(PRSP) isolate from an adult patient, strain KK0981 of serotype 3, was identified among these strains. Whole-genome analysis characterized this PRSP as a recombinant strain derived from PRSP of serotype 23F with thecpslocus (20.3 kb) replaced by that of a penicillin-susceptible strain of serotype 3. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.


July 7, 2019

De novo whole-genome sequencing of the wood rot fungus Polyporus brumalis, which exhibits potential terpenoid metabolism.

Polyporus brumalis is able to synthesize several sesquiterpenes during fungal growth. Using a single-molecule real-time sequencing platform, we present the 53-Mb draft genome of P. brumalis, which contains 6,231 protein-coding genes. Gene annotation and isolation support genetic information, which can increase the understanding of sesquiterpene metabolism in P. brumalis. Copyright © 2017 Lee et al.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain belonging to the East African-Indian family in the Indo-Oceanic lineage, isolated in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The East African-Indian (EAI) family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is an endemic group mainly observed in Southeast Asia. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of an M. tuberculosis strain isolated as a member of the EAI family in Hanoi, Vietnam, a country with a high incidence of tuberculosis. Copyright © 2017 Wada et al.


July 7, 2019

Complete genome sequence of Staphylococcus lutrae ATCC 700373, a potential pathogen isolated from deceased otters.

Despite their relevance to human health, not all staphylococcal species have been characterized. As such, the potential zoonotic threats posed by uninvestigated species and their contribution to the staphylococcal pangenome are unclear. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Staphylococcus lutrae ATCC 700373, a coagulase-positive species isolated from deceased otters. Copyright © 2017 Veseli et al.


July 7, 2019

Rapid and consistent evolution of colistin resistance in XDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa during morbidostat culture.

Colistin is a last resort antibiotic commonly used against multidrug-resistant strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa To investigate the potential for in-situ evolution of resistance against colistin and to map the molecular targets of colistin resistance, we exposed two P. aeruginosa isolates to colistin using a continuous culture device known as morbidostat. As a result, colistin resistance reproducibly increased 10-fold within ten days, and 100-fold within 20 days, along with highly stereotypic, yet strain specific mutation patterns. The majority of mutations hit the pmrAB two component signaling system and genes involved in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) synthesis, including lpxC, pmrE, and migA We tracked the frequencies of all arising mutations by whole genome deep sequencing every 3-4 days to provide a detailed picture of the dynamics of resistance evolution, including competition and displacement among multiple resistant sub-populations. In seven out of 18 cultures, we observed mutations in mutS along with a mutator phenotype that seemed to facilitate resistance evolution. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.


July 7, 2019

Identification of three homologous latex-clearing protein (lcp) genes from the genome of Streptomyces sp. strain CFMR 7.

Rubber materials have greatly contributed to human civilization. However, being a polymeric material does not decompose easily, it has caused huge environmental problems. On the other hand, only few bacteria are known to degrade rubber, with studies pertaining them being intensively focusing on the mechanism involved in microbial rubber degradation. The Streptomyces sp. strain CFMR 7, which was previously confirmed to possess rubber-degrading ability, was subjected to whole genome sequencing using the single molecule sequencing technology of the PacBio® RS II system. The genome was further analyzed and compared with previously reported rubber-degrading bacteria in order to identify the potential genes involved in rubber degradation. This led to the interesting discovery of three homologues of latex-clearing protein (Lcp) on the chromosome of this strain, which are probably responsible for rubber degrading activities. Genes encoding oxidoreductase a-subunit (oxiA) and oxidoreductase ß-subunit (oxiB) were also found downstream of two lcp genes which are located adjacent to each other. In silico analysis reveals genes that have been identified to be involved in the microbial degradation of rubber in the Streptomyces sp. strain CFMR 7. This is the first whole genome sequence of a clear-zone-forming natural rubber- degrading Streptomyces sp., which harbours three Lcp homologous genes with the presence of oxiA and oxiB genes compared to the previously reported Gordonia polyisoprenivorans strain VH2 (with two Lcp homologous genes) and Nocardia nova SH22a (with only one Lcp gene). Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.


July 7, 2019

Comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis of a toxigenic clinical isolate of Corynebacterium diphtheriae strain B-D-16-78 from Malaysia.

In this study, we report the comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis of Corynebacterium diphtheriae strain B-D-16-78 that was isolated from a clinical specimen in 2016. The complete genome of C. diphtheriae strain B-D-16-78 was sequenced using PacBio Single Molecule, Real-Time sequencing technology and consists of a 2,474,151-bp circular chromosome with an average GC content of 53.56%. The core genome of C. diphtheriae was also deduced from a total of 74 strains with complete or draft genome sequences and the core genome-based phylogenetic analysis revealed close genetic relationship among strains that shared the same MLST allelic profile. In the context of CRISPR-Cas system, which confers adaptive immunity against re-invading DNA, 73 out of 86 spacer sequences were found to be unique to Malaysian strains which harboured only type-II-C and/or type-I-E-a systems. A total of 48 tox genes which code for the diphtheria toxin were retrieved from the 74 genomes and with the exception of one truncated gene, only nucleotide substitutions were detected when compared to the tox gene sequence of PW8. More than half were synonymous substitution and only two were nonsynonymous substitutions whereby H24Y was predicted to have a damaging effect on the protein function whilst T262V was predicted to be tolerated. Both toxigenic and non-toxigenic toxin-gene bearing strains have been isolated in Malaysia but the repeated isolation of toxigenic strains with the same MLST profile suggests the possibility of some of these strains may be circulating in the population. Hence, efforts to increase herd immunity should be continued and supported by an effective monitoring and surveillance system to track, manage and control outbreak of cases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.


July 7, 2019

Recombination-dependent replication and gene conversion homogenize repeat sequences and diversify plastid genome structure

There is a misinterpretation in the literature regarding the variable orientation of the small single copy region of plastid genomes (plastomes). The common phenomenon of small and large single copy inversion, hypothesized to occur through intramolecular recombination between inverted repeats (IR) in a circular, single unit-genome, in fact, more likely occurs through recombination-dependent replication (RDR) of linear plastome templates. If RDR can be primed through both intra- and intermolecular recombination, then this mechanism could not only create inversion isomers of so-called single copy regions, but also an array of alternative sequence arrangements.We used Illumina paired-end and PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequences to characterize repeat structure in the plastome of Monsonia emarginata (Geraniaceae). We used OrgConv and inspected nucleotide alignments to infer ancestral nucleotides and identify gene conversion among repeats and mapped long (>1 kb) SMRT reads against the unit-genome assembly to identify alternative sequence arrangements.Although M. emarginata lacks the canonical IR, we found that large repeats (>1 kilobase; kb) represent ~22% of the plastome nucleotide content. Among the largest repeats (>2 kb), we identified GC-biased gene conversion and mapping filtered, long SMRT reads to the M. emarginata unit-genome assembly revealed alternative, substoichiometric sequence arrangements.We offer a model based on RDR and gene conversion between long repeated sequences in the M. emarginata plastome and provide support that both intra-and intermolecular recombination between large repeats, particularly in repeat-rich plastomes, varies unit-genome structure while homogenizing the nucleotide sequence of repeats.© 2017 Botanical Society of America.


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