Journal article
Expansion of the IncX plasmid family for improved identification and typing of novel plasmids in drug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae
University of Minnesota Twin Cities1
Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark2
National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark3
Division of Epidemiology and Microbial Genomics, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark4
Division of Microbiology and Risk Assessment, National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark5
Istituto Superiore di Sanita6
Technical University of Denmark7
Pennsylvania State University8
Iowa State University9
IncX plasmids are narrow host range plasmids of Enterobactericeae that have been isolated for over 50years. They are known to encode type IV fimbriae enabling their own conjugative transfer, and to provide accessory functions to their host bacteria such as resistance towards antimicrobial agents and biofilm formation.
Previous plasmid-based replicon typing procedures have indicated that the prevalence of IncX plasmids is low among members of the Enterobacteriaceae. However, examination of a number of IncX-like plasmid sequences and their occurrence in various organisms suggests that IncX plasmid diversity and prevalence is underappreciated.
To address these possible shortcomings, we generated additional plasmid sequences of IncX plasmids of interest and compared them to the genomes of all sequenced IncX-like plasmids. These comparisons revealed that IncX plasmids possess a highly syntenic plasmid backbone, but that they are quite divergent with respect to nucleotide and amino acid similarity.
Based on phylogenetic comparisons of the sequenced IncX plasmids, the IncX plasmid group has been expanded to include at least four subtypes, IncX1-IncX4. A revised IncX plasmid replicon typing procedure, based upon these sequences and subtypes, was then developed. Use of this revised typing procedure revealed that IncX plasmid occurrence among bacterial populations is much more common than had previously been acknowledged.
Thus, this revised procedure can be used to better discern the occurrence of IncX type plasmids among enterobacterial populations.
Language: | English |
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Publisher: | Elsevier BV |
Year: | 2012 |
Pages: | 43-50 |
ISSN: | 10959890 and 0147619x |
Types: | Journal article |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.plasmid.2012.03.001 |