title: Characterization and Comparative Overview of Complete Sequences of the First Plasmids ofPandoraeaacross Clinical and Non-clinical Strains.
abstract: To date, information on plasmid analysis inPandoraeaspp. is scarce. To address the gap of knowledge on this, the complete sequences of eight plasmids fromPandoraeaspp. namelyPandoraea faecigallinarumDSM 23572T(pPF72-1, pPF72-2),Pandoraea oxalativoransDSM 23570T(pPO70-1, pPO70-2, pPO70-3, pPO70-4),Pandoraea vervactiNS15 (pPV15) andPandoraea apistaDSM 16535T(pPA35) were studied for the first time in this study. The information on plasmid sequences inPandoraeaspp. is useful as the sequences did not match any known plasmid sequence deposited in public databases. Replication genes were not identified in some plasmids, a situation that has led to the possibility of host interaction involvement. Some plasmids were also void ofpargenes and intriguingly,repAgene was also not discovered in these plasmids. This further leads to the hypothesis of host-plasmid interaction. Plasmid stabilization/stability protein-encoding genes were observed in some plasmids but were not established for participating in plasmid segregation. Toxin-antitoxin systems MazEF, VapBC, RelBE, YgiT-MqsR, HigBA, and ParDE were identified across the plasmids and their presence would improve plasmid maintenance. Conjugation genes were identified portraying the conjugation ability amongstPandoraeaplasmids. Additionally, we found a shared region amongst some of the plasmids that consists of conjugation genes. The identification of genes involved in replication, segregation, toxin-antitoxin systems and conjugation, would aid the design of drugs to prevent the survival or transmission of plasmids carrying pathogenic properties. Additionally, genes conferring virulence and antibiotic resistance were identified amongst the plasmids. The observed features in the plasmids shed light on thePandoraeaspp. as opportunistic pathogens.
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Delicia
authors: D
authors: Yong
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Kok Keng
authors: KK
authors: Tee
authors: Division of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Wai-Fong
authors: WF
authors: Yin
authors: Division of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors: Kok-Gan
authors: KG
authors: Chan
keywords: antibiotic resistance; conjugation; plasmid; toxin-antitoxin systems; virulence genes