title: Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec typing and mecA sequencing in methicillin-resistant staphylococci from Algeria: a highly diversified element with new mutations in mecA.
abstract: Genetic mechanisms of methicillin resistance are still relevant in staphylococci. The aims of this study are to assess the possible exchanges of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) among isolates of methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) and to check for known or new mutations in mecA DNA. A total of 35 MRS non-repetitive isolates were recovered, including 20 Staphylococcushaemolyticus, 7 Staphylococcusaureus, 4 Staphylococcussciuri, 2 Staphylococcussaprophyticus and 1 isolate each of Staphylococcusxylosus and Staphylococcuslentus. Only 16 of the 35 strains were assigned to known SCCmec types: 7 SCCmec VII, 6 SCCmec IV and 3 SCCmec III, with possible horizontal transfer of the SCCmec VII from methicillin-resistant S. haemolyticus to methicillin-susceptible S. aureus. mecA gene sequencing in ten selected isolates allowed description of nine punctual mutations, seven of which were reported for the first time. The most frequent mutation was G246E, identified in isolates of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, S. sciuri, S. saprophyticus and S. lentus. These results emphasized the high degree of genetic diversity of SCCmec element in MRS and describe new missense mutations in mecA, which might be important in understanding the evolution of methicillin and new β-lactam resistance.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ecologie Microbienne, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université A/MIRA, Route de Targa-Ouzemour, Bejaia 06000, Algeria.
authors.forename: Ferhat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Djoudi
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care 'G. D'Alessandro', University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 133, I-90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Celestino
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonura
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Ecologie Microbienne, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université A/MIRA, Route de Targa-Ouzemour, Bejaia 06000, Algeria.
authors.forename: Abdelaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Touati
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care 'G. D'Alessandro', University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 133, I-90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Aurora
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aléo
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Microbiologie Appliquée, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Université A/MIRA, Route de Targa-Ouzemour, Bejaia 06000, Algeria.
authors.forename: Said
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benallaoua
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care 'G. D'Alessandro', University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 133, I-90127 Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mammina
mesh_terms: D000462:Algeria; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002876:Chromosomes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016106:Methicillin Resistance; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D009154:Mutation; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D047090:beta-Lactams
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D046915:Penicillin-Binding Proteins; D047090:beta-Lactams; C487789:mecA protein, Staphylococcus aureus