Chromium resistance genetic element flanked by XerC/XerD recombination sites and its distribution in environmental and clinical Acinetobacter strains

A novel mobile genetic element has been identified in small plasmids isolated from permafrost strains of Acinetobacter lwoffii. This element, designated the chrAB dif module, contains the chromium resistance genes chrA and chrB, functionally active both in the original host strains and after transfe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:FEMS microbiology letters 2018-04, Vol.365 (8)
Main Authors: Mindlin, Sofia, Petrenko, Anatoliy, Petrova, Mayya
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acinetobacter
Antibiotic resistance
Antibiotics
Chromium
Genes
Homologous recombination
Homology
Microbiology
Modules
Permafrost
Plasmids
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Description
Summary:A novel mobile genetic element has been identified in small plasmids isolated from permafrost strains of Acinetobacter lwoffii. This element, designated the chrAB dif module, contains the chromium resistance genes chrA and chrB, functionally active both in the original host strains and after transfer into Acinetobacter baylyi. The 3011 bp chrAB dif module is flanked by XerC/XerD recombination sites highly homologous to those of the site-specific recombination system dif/Xer. Analysis of public databases revealed almost identical variants of the chrAB dif module in different plasmids in strains of various Acinetobacter species predominantly inhabiting the environment (A. lwoffii, Acinetobacter indicus, Acinetobacter idrijaensis, Acinetobacter shindleri and Acinetobacter nosocomialis). Together with previously described Acinetobacter antibiotic resistance elements, the chrAB dif module defines a new group of mobile elements that rely on the dif/Xer system for their mobility. Our observations suggest an ancient origin of the mobile elements flanked by dif sites and their participation in the mobilization of plasmid genes bearing adaptive functions.
ISSN:1574-6968
0378-1097
1574-6968
DOI:10.1093/femsle/fny047