The tetracycline resistance gene tet39 is present in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria from a polluted river, Southwestern Nigeria.
OBJECTIVE
Previous analysis of tet39 suggests it may be present in other bacterial species. Hence, we investigated the host range of tet39 among bacterial from a poultry waste polluted river in Southwestern Nigeria.


RESULTS
Thirteen resistant bacterial isolated from the water and sediment of the polluted river was investigated for the presence of tetracycline resistance genes tetA, tetB, tetC, tet39 and the transposon integrase gene of the Tn916/1545 family by PCR. While tetA, tetB, tetC and integrase genes cannot be detected in any of the organisms, tet39 was detected in eight of the tested organisms including three Gram-positive species. Sequence analysis showed the genes have high sequence identities (> or =99%) with tet39 of Acinetobacter sp. LUH5605, the first and only bacterial genus from which the gene has been reported to date. This is a novel observation.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that apart from Acinetobacter, tet39 is present in other bacterial species tested in this study.


CONCLUSIONS
This study adds to available information on the occurrence and distribution of tet39 among environmental bacteria and suggests that the gene has a broader host range than previously reported.
Adelowo
O O
OO
Department of Pure and Applied Biology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Nigeria. onomewaleadelowo@yahoo.co.uk
Fagade
O E
OE
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009549:Nigeria; D010802:Phylogeny; D045483:Rivers / Q000382:microbiology*; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance; D014876:Water Pollution
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins