title: Distinction of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome mec type V elements from Staphylococcus aureus ST398.
abstract: Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a major threat for human health and well-being. In recent years, it has become clear that livestock is a potential reservoir for MRSA, most livestock-associated isolates belonging to the ST398 lineage. Importantly, ST398 strains were also reported as causative agents of severe invasive infections in humans with no evidence for livestock associations. Here we document the sequence of the J1 region of the type V (5C2&5) SCCmec element and its right chromosomal junction in the clinical PVL-positive ST398 MRSA isolate UMCG-M4. Sequence comparisons show that this SCCmec element and related type V elements from other S. aureus isolates share a common core structure, but differ substantially in the so-called J1 region. Additional PCR analyses and typing studies indicate that the J1 region of strain UMCG-M4 is specific for SCCmec elements of PVL-positive ST398 isolates. Lastly, we show that the sequenced right chromosomal junction is invariant in strains of the ST398 lineage.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Monika A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Chlebowicz
authors.forename: Thijs
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: Artur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Sabat
authors.forename: Jan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Arends
authors.forename: Hajo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grundmann
authors.forename: Jan Maarten
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: van Dijl
authors.forename: Girbe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Buist
mesh_terms: D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D016521:Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field; D005260:Female; D023061:Gene Order; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D058889:Molecular Typing; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D004269:DNA, Bacterial
keywords: 5C2&5; Chromosomal junction; J1 region; MRSA; SCCmec; ST398; Type V