Dissemination and persistence of blaCTX-M-9 are linked to class 1 integrons containing CR1 associated with defective transposon derivatives from Tn402 located in early antibiotic resistance plasmids of IncHI2, IncP1-alpha, and IncFI groups

Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2006 Aug;50(8):2741-50. doi: 10.1128/AAC.00274-06.

Abstract

This study analyzes the diversity of In60, a class 1 integron bearing CR1 and containing bla(CTX-M-9), and its association with Tn402, Tn21, and classical conjugative plasmids among 45 CTX-M-9-producing clinical strains (41 Escherichia coli strains, 2 Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, 1 Salmonella enterica strain, and 1 Enterobacter cloacae strain). Forty-five patients in a Spanish tertiary care hospital were studied (1996 to 2003). The diversity of In60 and association of In60 with Tn402 or mercury resistance transposons were investigated by overlapping PCR assays and/or hybridization. Plasmid characterization included comparison of restriction fragment length polymorphism patterns and determination of incompatibility group by PCR-based replicon typing, sequencing, and hybridization. CTX-M-9 plasmids belonged to IncHI2 (n = 26), IncP-1alpha (n = 10), IncFI (n = 4), and IncI (n = 1) groups. Genetic platforms containing bla(CTX-M-9) were classified in six types in relation to the In60 backbone and in eight subtypes in relation to Tn402 derivatives. They were associated with Tn21 sequences when located in IncP-1alpha or IncHI2 plasmids. Our study identified bla(CTX-M-9) in a high diversity of CR1-bearing class 1 integrons linked to different Tn402 derivatives, often to Tn21, highlighting the role of recombination events in the evolution of antibiotic resistance plasmids. The presence of bla(CTX-M-9) on broad-host-range IncP-1alpha plasmids might contribute to its dissemination to hosts that were not members of the family Enterobacteriaceae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • DNA Transposable Elements / genetics*
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • Enterobacter cloacae / enzymology
  • Enterobacter cloacae / isolation & purification
  • Enterobacteriaceae / enzymology*
  • Enterobacteriaceae / isolation & purification*
  • Enterobacteriaceae Infections / microbiology
  • Genetic Variation
  • Hospitals
  • Humans
  • Integrons / genetics*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / enzymology
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / isolation & purification
  • Nucleic Acid Hybridization
  • Plasmids*
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Salmonella enterica / enzymology
  • Salmonella enterica / isolation & purification
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Spain / epidemiology
  • beta-Lactam Resistance
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics*

Substances

  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • beta-Lactamases