title: Whole genome sequencing of diverse Shiga toxin-producing and non-producing Escherichia coli strains reveals a variety of virulence and novel antibiotic resistance plasmids.
abstract: The genomes of a diverse set of Escherichia coli, including many Shiga toxin-producing strains of various serotypes were determined. A total of 39 plasmids were identified among these strains, and many carried virulence or putative virulence genes of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli strains, virulence genes for other pathogenic E. coli groups, and some had combinations of these genes. Among the novel plasmids identified were eight that carried resistance genes to aminoglycosides, carbapenems, penicillins, cephalosporins, chloramphenicol, dihydrofolate reductase inhibitors, sulfonamides, tetracyclines and resistance to heavy metals. Two of the plasmids carried six of these resistance genes and two novel IncHI2 plasmids were also identified. The results of this study showed that plasmids carrying diverse resistance and virulence genes of various pathogenic E. coli groups can be found in E. coli strains and serotypes regardless of the isolate's source and therefore, is consistent with the premise that these mobile elements carrying these traits may be broadly disseminated among E. coli.
authors.affiliation: J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD, USA. Electronic address: liliana@swhr.org.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Losada
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Chitrita
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DebRoy
authors.affiliation: J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Radune
authors.affiliation: J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Ravi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanka
authors.affiliation: J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brinkac
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Subhashinie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kariyawasam
authors.affiliation: Environmental Microbial and Food Safety Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shelton
authors.affiliation: Eastern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Wyndmoor, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Pina M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Fratamico
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Vivek
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kapur
authors.affiliation: Division of Microbiology, FDA, College Park, MD, USA. Electronic address: peter.feng@fda.hhs.gov.
authors.forename: Peter C H
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000494:pharmacology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D054323:Shiga-Toxigenic Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy
keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Genome sequencing; Plasmids; STEC; Virulence genes