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Site-specific Bacterial Chromosome Engineering: ΦC31 Integrase Mediated Cassette Exchange (IMCE)
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tISCpe8, an IS1595-family lincomycin resistance element located on a conjugative plasmid in Clostridium perfringens

Dena Lyras1, Vicki Adams, Susan A Ballard

  • 1Bacterial Pathogenesis Research Group and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Structural and Functional Microbial Genomics, Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia.

Journal of Bacteriology
|August 18, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Clostridium perfringens harbors lincomycin resistance genes on a novel conjugative plasmid. This discovery reveals a new mechanism for antibiotic resistance gene transfer in bacteria, impacting microbial evolution.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Clostridium perfringens is a common gut bacterium and a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes.
  • Antibiotic resistance determinants can transfer from C. perfringens to other pathogens.
  • Lincomycin resistance in C. perfringens is often mediated by erm genes, conferring resistance to macrolides, lincosamides, and streptogramin B.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate lincomycin resistance in C. perfringens strains that are sensitive to erythromycin.
  • To characterize the genetic element responsible for lincomycin resistance and its transfer mechanism.
  • To identify novel mobile genetic elements involved in antibiotic resistance dissemination.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation and characterization of lincomycin-resistant, erythromycin-sensitive C. perfringens strains.
  • Conjugation experiments to assess the transferability of the resistance determinant.
  • Plasmid analysis and sequencing to identify the resistance gene and mobile genetic element.
  • Comparative analysis with known resistance elements from other bacterial species.

Main Results:

  • Identified C. perfringens strains with plasmid-borne lincomycin resistance, transferable via conjugation.
  • Characterized the novel conjugative R-plasmid pJIR2774, the first identified in C. perfringens lacking tetracycline resistance.
  • Determined that lincomycin resistance is encoded by the lnuP gene located on the transposable element tISCpe8.
  • Demonstrated significant similarity between tISCpe8 and the Streptococcus agalactiae element tISSag10, including a functional origin of transfer.

Conclusions:

  • The lnuP gene on the transposable element tISCpe8 is responsible for lincomycin resistance in the studied C. perfringens strains.
  • The conjugative plasmid pJIR2774 represents a new vehicle for antibiotic resistance gene spread.
  • The findings support the hypothesis that conjugation facilitates the movement of DNA modules not inherently mobile, contributing to bacterial adaptation and evolution.

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