title: Detection of the macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B resistance gene erm(44) and a novel erm(44) variant in staphylococci from aquatic environments.
abstract: Resistance to macrolides, lincosamides and streptogramin B antibiotics (MLSB) is not restricted to staphylococci from clinical samples but can also be present in staphylococci from the aquatic environment. Two coagulase-negative staphylococci-Staphylococcus xylosus and S. saprophyticus were obtained from sewage and receiving river water samples and were investigated for the genetic basis of inducible MLSB resistance by whole-genome sequencing. Two rRNA methylases encoded by erm(44) and a novel erm(44) variant were identified, which had only 84% amino acid identity. While fragments of phage DNA were found in the vicinity of the erm(44) gene of S. xylosus, no relics of mobile genetic elements were detected in the sequences flanking the erm(44) variant gene in the S. saprophyticus strain. The functionality of the erm genes was confirmed by cloning and transformation experiments. Based on the obtained sequences, specific PCR assays for both erm genes were developed and used to identify erm(44) in another 7 S. xylosus and 17 S. saprophyticus isolates from aquatic environments.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), 31535 Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wendlandt
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biology for Engineers and Biotechnology of Wastewater Treatment, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology KIT, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heß
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, 100083 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), 31535 Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrea T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Feßler
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Detection Technology for Animal-Derived Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, 100083 Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), 31535 Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kadlec
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology - Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, University of Applied Science, Hochschule Emden/Leer, D-26723 Emden, Germany claudia.gallert@hs-emden-leer.de.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gallert
authors.affiliation: Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), 31535 Neustadt-Mariensee, Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schwarz
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D055231:Lincosamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018942:Macrolides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D045483:Rivers / Q000382:microbiology; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D025381:Streptogramin B / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D055231:Lincosamides; D018942:Macrolides; D012722:Sewage; D025381:Streptogramin B; D008780:Methyltransferases; C431709:ErmA protein, Bacteria; C035181:rRNA (adenosine-O-2'-)methyltransferase
keywords: antimicrobial multiresistance; cross-resistance; erm genes; rRNA methylases; water samples