title: Genetic resistance elements carrying mef subclasses other than mef(A) in Streptococcus pyogenes.
abstract: In Streptococcus pyogenes, efflux-mediated erythromycin resistance is associated with the mef gene, represented mostly by mef(A), although a small portion of strains carry different mef subclasses. We characterized the composite genetic elements, including mef subclasses other than mef(A), associated with other resistance genes in S. pyogenes isolates. Determination of the genetic elements was performed by PCR mapping. The strains carrying mosaic mef(A/E), in which the 5' region was identical to mef(A) and the 3' region was identical to mef(E), also carried tet(O). The two genes were found enclosed in an element similar to S. pyogenes prophage Φm46.1, designated the Φm46.1-like element. In S. pyogenes strains carrying mef(E) and tet(M), mef(E) was included in a typical mega element, and in some strains, it was physically associated with tet(M) in the composite element Tn2009. S. pyogenes strains carrying mef(I) also carried catQ; the two genes were linked in a fragment representing a portion of the 5216IQ complex of Streptococcus pneumoniae, designated the defective IQ element. In the only isolate carrying a novel mef gene, this was associated with catQ and tet(M) in a genetic element similar to the 5216IQ complex of S. pneumoniae (5216IQ-like complex), suggesting that the novel mef is in fact a variant of mef(I). This study demonstrates that the composite elements containing mef are shared between S. pyogenes and S. pneumoniae and suggests that it is important to distinguish the mef subclass on the basis of the genetic element containing it.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic, and Immune-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. maria.delgrosso@iss.it
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Del Grosso
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Camilli
authors.forename: Giada
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barbabella
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blackman Northwood
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: Annalisa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pantosti
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000494:pharmacology; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004917:Erythromycin; D002701:Chloramphenicol