title: Prevalence of 16S rRNA methylase genes among β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae clinical isolates in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Co production of 16S rRNA methylases gene and β-Lactamase gene among Enterobacteriaceae isolates conferring resistance to both therapeutic options has serious implications for clinicians worldwide.
  
  
  
  To study co existence of 16S rRNA methylases (armA, rmtA, rmtB, rmtC, rmtD, and npmA) and β-Lactamase (blaTEM-1, blaSHV-12, blaCTX-M-14) genes, we screened all phenotypic positive β-Lactamase producing enterobacteriaceae by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting above genes. A total of 330 enterobacteriaceae strains were collected during study period out of that 218 isolates were identified phenotypically as β-Lactamase producers, which include 50 (22.9%) Escherichia coli; 92 (42.2%) Klebsiella pneumoniae, 44 (20.2%), Citrobactor freundii and 32 (14.7%) Enterobacter spp.
  
  
  
  Among this 218, only 188 isolates harbored the resistant gene for β-Lactamase production. Major β-Lactamase producing isolates were blaTEM-1 type. 122 (56 %) isolates were found to produce any one of the 16S rRNA methylase genes. A total of 116 isolates co produced b-Lactamase and at least one 16S rRNA methylases gene Co production of armA gene was found in 26 isolates with rmtB and in 4 isolates with rmtC. The rmtA and rmtD genes were not detected in any of the tested isolates. Six isolates were positive for a 16S rRNA methylase gene alone.
  
  
  
  β-Lactamase producing isolates appears to coexist with 16S rRNA methylase predominantly armA and rmtB genes in the same isolate. We conclude the major β-Lactamase and 16S rRNA methylases co-producer was K. pneumoniae followed by E. coli. We suggest further work on evaluating other β-lactamases types and novel antibiotic resistance mechanisms among Enterobacteriaceae.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Chair of Medical and Molecular Genetics Research, Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Yazeed A
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Al Sheikh
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; dr.mmarie2000@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammed Ali M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Marie
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Christian Medical College and Hospital, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India; Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry, India.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: John
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Lakshmana Gowda
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Krishnappa
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khaled Homoud M
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Dabwab
mesh_terms: D016971:Citrobacter freundii / Q000235:genetics; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D004754:Enterobacter / Q000235:genetics; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000235:genetics; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007711:Klebsiella pneumoniae / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008297:Male; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D001618:beta-Lactamases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C446079:16S rRNA - m7G methyltransferase; D008780:Methyltransferases; D001618:beta-Lactamases
keywords: 16S rRNA methylase gene; Enterobacteriaceae; β-lactamase