title: Characterization and horizontal transfer of class 1 integrons in Salmonella strains isolated from food products of animal origin.
abstract: A total of 81 Salmonella isolates from retail meats and seafood in Hebei province, China, were assayed for the presence of and horizontal transfer of class 1 integrons. By the PCR screening for the integrons, class 1 integron was detected from strains in serotypes of Derby, Indiana, London and Choleraesuis, which were isolated from pork, chicken or seafood; however, two isolates contained the empty integron that lacked the resistance cassette, a potential hotspot for development of the multidrug resistance. In contrast, two other isolates had the antibiotic resistance gene cassettes within the class 1 integron, which were dfrA1-aadA1 and aadB-cmlA, respectively. The conjugation experiments demonstrated the plasmid-mediated transfer of the class 1 integrons. Furthermore, each of the integrons was transmitted to Streptococcus mutans via natural gene transformation. These findings suggest the possible transfer of class 1 integrons from foodborne pathogens to human residential bacteria via horizontal gene transfer.
authors.affiliation: College of Light Industry and Food Sciences, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China.
authors.forename: Hecheng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Miaorui
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yongyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shin-Ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miyoshi
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D006801:Humans; D032023:Integrons; D008460:Meat / Q000382:microbiology*; D010957:Plasmids; D012475:Salmonella / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012480:Salmonella Infections / Q000382:microbiology; D017747:Seafood / Q000382:microbiology*; D013552:Swine; D014170:Transformation, Genetic