Analysis of Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec in Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Staphylococcus sciuri: identification of a novel ccr gene complex with a newly identified ccrA allotype (ccrA7)

Microb Drug Resist. 2011 Jun;17(2):291-7. doi: 10.1089/mdr.2010.0144. Epub 2011 Mar 9.

Abstract

Methicillin resistance in staphylococci is conferred by the acquisition in its chromosome of the mecA gene, which is located on a mobile genetic element called staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). Genetic type of SCCmec is defined by combination of mec gene complex class and cassette chromosome recombinase gene (ccr) allotype. In this study, we analyzed genetic diversity of the SCCmec in 11 Staphylococcus haemolyticus strains and a Staphylococcus sciuri strain, which were recently isolated from clinical specimens in Bangladesh. Among these strains, only two S. haemolyticus strains were proved to have the known types of SCCmec, that is, SCCmec V (class C2 mec-ccrC) and VII (class C1 mec-ccrC). Five S. haemolyticus strains were assigned two unique mec-ccr gene complexes combination; that is, class C1 mec-ccrA4B4 (four isolates) and class A mec-ccrC (one isolate). In the remaining four S. haemolyticus strains with class C1 mec, no known ccr allotypes could be detected. A single S. sciuri strain with class A mec complex carried a ccrA gene belonging to a novel allotype designated ccrA7, together with ccrB3. The ccrA7 gene in the S. sciuri strain showed 61.7%-82.7% sequence identity to the ccrA gene sequences published so far, and 75.3% identity to ccrA3, which is a component of the type 3 ccr complex (ccrA3-ccrB3) in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. The results of the present study indicated that mec gene complex and ccr genes in coagulase-negative staphylococci are highly divergent, and distinct from those of common methicillin-resistant S. aureus. Identification of the novel ccrA7 allotype combined with ccrB3 suggested an occurrence of recombination between different ccr complexes in nature.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alleles
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Bacterial Typing Techniques
  • Bangladesh
  • Body Fluids / microbiology
  • Chromosomes, Bacterial / chemistry
  • Chromosomes, Bacterial / genetics
  • DNA, Bacterial / analysis
  • Genetic Variation
  • Humans
  • Methicillin Resistance / drug effects
  • Methicillin Resistance / genetics*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Multilocus Sequence Typing
  • Phylogeny
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Recombinases / genetics*
  • Recombinases / metabolism
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Staphylococcal Infections / drug therapy
  • Staphylococcal Infections / epidemiology
  • Staphylococcal Infections / microbiology*
  • Staphylococcal Infections / transmission
  • Staphylococcus / classification
  • Staphylococcus / drug effects*
  • Staphylococcus / genetics*
  • Staphylococcus / isolation & purification
  • Staphylococcus aureus / genetics
  • Staphylococcus haemolyticus / classification
  • Staphylococcus haemolyticus / drug effects*
  • Staphylococcus haemolyticus / genetics*
  • Staphylococcus haemolyticus / isolation & purification
  • beta-Lactamases / genetics*
  • beta-Lactamases / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Recombinases
  • beta-Lactamases
  • carbapenemase