title: A vanG-type locus in Clostridium argentinense.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to study a new vanG-type locus in Clostridium argentinense vanGCar and to determine its impact on glycopeptide susceptibility of the host.
  
  
  METHODS
  The whole genome of C. argentinense NCIB 10714 was sequenced using Illumina single-reads sequencing technology. The presence of vanGCar in seven C. argentinense strains was tested by PCR and its expression was tested by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). Glycopeptide susceptibility was determined by the Etest procedure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The vanGCar locus contained four genes encoding a carboxypeptidase, a d-alanine:d-serine ligase, a serine transporter and a serine racemase, and was present in the seven C. argentinense studied. An AraC-type transcriptional regulator was found upstream from the genes. C. argentinense NCIB 10714 was susceptible to vancomycin and to teicoplanin. qRT-PCR experiments revealed that vanGCar was not expressed without or with induction by a subinhibitory concentration of vancomycin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The new vanGCar locus was cryptic in C. argentinense and intrinsic to this species. Emergence of vancomycin resistance in C. argentinense due to decryptification of the vanGCar gene cluster could occur.
authors: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, UMR3569 Paris, France Centre International de la Recherche Médicale de Franceville, Unité des Zoonoses et Maladies Emergentes, Franceville, Gabon.
authors: Nicolas
authors: N
authors: Berthet
authors: Institut Pasteur, Unité des Agents Antibactériens, Paris, France.
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Périchon
authors: Institut Pasteur, Unité de Recherche et d'Expertise Bactéries Anaérobies et Toxines, Paris, France.
authors: Christelle
authors: C
authors: Mazuet
authors: Institut Pasteur, Unité de Recherche et d'Expertise Bactéries Anaérobies et Toxines, Paris, France.
authors: Diana
authors: D
authors: Chapetón-Montes
authors: Institut Pasteur, Plateforme de Génomique, Paris, France.
authors: Christiane
authors: C
authors: Bouchier
authors: Institut Pasteur, Unité de Recherche et d'Expertise Bactéries Anaérobies et Toxines, Paris, France.
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Bouvet
authors: Institut Pasteur, Unité de Recherche et d'Expertise Bactéries Anaérobies et Toxines, Paris, France.
authors: Christine
authors: C
authors: Legeay
authors: Institut Pasteur, Unité de Recherche et d'Expertise Bactéries Anaérobies et Toxines, Paris, France.
authors: Michel-Robert
authors: MR
authors: Popoff
authors: Institut Pasteur, Unité des Agents Antibactériens, Paris, France patrice.courvalin@pasteur.fr.
authors: Patrice
authors: P
authors: Courvalin
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003013:Clostridium / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D023061:Gene Order; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D056426:Genetic Loci; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D020713:Vancomycin Resistance
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D006020:Glycopeptides
keywords: C. argentinense; resistance; vancomycin