title: A novel group of IncQ1 plasmids conferring multidrug resistance.
abstract: The IncQ is a group of non-conjugative but mobilisable plasmids that are found and stably maintained in a wide range of bacteria contributing to the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes and to the insurgence of multidrug resistant bacteria. Here we report the identification, in clinical Salmonella Typhimurium strains, of an IncQ1 plasmid (pNUC) which confers resistance to sulfamethoxazole, streptomycin and tetracycline through the presence of sul2, strAB and tetA genes, respectively. pNUC was detected in five multidrug resistant S. Typhimurium strains collected in Southern Italy from various hospitals and years of isolation. Bioinformatics analyses highlighted the presence of pNUC-like plasmids in pathogenic bacteria of various Enterobacteriaceae genera or species. Taken as a whole, these plasmids constitute a novel group of IncQ1 plasmids that might have originated through recombination events between a tetR-tetA gene cluster (possibly derived from a Tn1721) and a recipient IncQ1 plasmid related to RSF1010. Our findings raise concerns regarding the possible contribution of the newly identified group of IncQ1 plasmids to the spread of tetracycline resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences Neurosciences and Sense Organs Medical Faculty, University of Bari Piazza G. Cesare Policlinico, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Monno
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Addabbo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council, via Amendola 165A, 70125 Bari, Italy; Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pesole
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immuno-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome 00161, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dionisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scrascia
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, University of Milano, via Celoria 26, 20131 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiara
authors.affiliation: Department of Biosciences, University of Milano, via Celoria 26, 20131 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Horner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council, via Amendola 165A, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Manzari
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immuno-Mediated Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome 00161, Italy.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Luzzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medical Sciences Neurosciences and Sense Organs Medical Faculty, University of Bari Piazza G. Cesare Policlinico, 70124 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Calia
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomembranes and Bioenergetics, National Research Council, via Amendola 165A, 70125 Bari, Italy; Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: D'Erchia
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Bari, via Orabona, 4, 70125 Bari, Italy. Electronic address: carlo.pazzani@uniba.it.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pazzani
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017920:Antiporters / Q000235:genetics; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D019295:Computational Biology / Q000379:methods; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D023061:Gene Order; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal; D005798:Genes, Bacterial; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics*; D012486:Salmonella typhimurium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017920:Antiporters; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C079051:tetA protein, Bacteria
keywords: IncQ1; Multidrug Resistance; Plasmid; tetA