title: Novel acquired metallo-beta-lactamase gene, bla(SIM-1), in a class 1 integron from Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates from Korea.
abstract: Carbapenem resistance mediated by acquired carbapenemase genes has been increasingly reported, particularly for clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter spp. Of 1,234 non-duplicate isolates of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas spp. and Acinetobacter spp. isolated at a tertiary-care hospital in Seoul, Korea, 211 (17%) were positive for metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL). Of these, 204 (96%) had either the bla(IMP-1) or bla(VIM-2) allele. In addition, seven Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were found to have a novel MBL gene, which was designated bla(SIM-1). The SIM-1 protein has a pI of 7.2, is a new member of subclass B1, and exhibits 64 to 69% identity with the IMP-type MBLs, which are its closest relatives. All SIM-1-producing isolates exhibited relatively low imipenem and meropenem MICs (8 to 16 microg/ml) and had a multidrug resistance phenotype. Expression of the cloned bla(SIM-1) gene in Escherichia coli revealed that the encoded enzyme is capable of hydrolyzing a broad array of beta-lactams, including penicillins, narrow- to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins, and carbapenems. The bla(SIM-1) gene was carried on a gene cassette inserted into a class 1 integron, which included three additional cassettes (arr-3, catB3, and aadA1). The strains were isolated from sputum and urine specimens from patients with pneumonia and urinary tract infections, respectively. All patients had various underlying diseases. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of SmaI-digested genomic DNAs showed that the strains belonged to two different clonal lineages, indicating that horizontal transfer of this gene had occurred and suggesting the possibility of further spread of resistance in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 134 Shinchondong, Seodaemunku, Seoul 120-752, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyungwon
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jong Hwa
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yum
authors.forename: Dongeun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: Hyuk Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Heung Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jean-Denis
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Docquier
authors.forename: Gian Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Rossolini
authors.forename: Yunsop
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chong
mesh_terms: D040981:Acinetobacter baumannii / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D015780:Carbapenems; D001618:beta-Lactamases