title: Dynamics of the penA gene in serogroup C meningococcal strains.
abstract: The transpeptidase encoding region of the penA gene was sequenced in 44 meningococcal strains (41 serogroup C [23 characterized as serotype 2b and 18 as serotype 2a] and 3 serogroup B [B:2b:P1.2,5]). All strains were characterized by multilocus sequence typing and were determined to be susceptible or intermediate resistant to penicillin (Pen(s) or Pen(i), respectively). A high degree of homology was found among the penA alleles identified in the Pen(s) strains. All the Pen(i) C:2b strains, which belonged to 2 different clonal complexes, showed the same penA gene allele. This fact suggests that 1 of the clonal complexes acquired that allele, spreading it to the other by horizontal transfer. The same allele also was found in the B:2b strains studied, indicating that 1 of the Pen(i) C:2b strains underwent a capsular switching event. A different mosaic penA allele was identified in the Pen(i) C:2a strains, which belonged to the ET37 cluster.
authors.affiliation: Reference Laboratory for Meningococci, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arreaza
authors.forename: Belén
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Alcalá
authors.forename: Celia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salcedo
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de la Fuente
authors.forename: Julio A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Vázquez
mesh_terms: D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D006801:Humans; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000382:microbiology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D010406:Penicillins; D010458:Peptidyl Transferases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D002267:Muramoylpentapeptide Carboxypeptidase