Staphylococcus petrasii diagnostics and its pathogenic potential enhanced by mobile genetic elements.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Genomics
• Pathogen Identification

Background:

• Staphylococcus petrasii is a recently identified coagulase-negative staphylococcal species and opportunistic pathogen.
• It is frequently misidentified in clinical samples, and its genomic properties and subspecies have not been extensively studied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the phenotypic and genotypic properties of Staphylococcus petrasii isolates.
• To perform whole-genome sequencing and analysis of draft genomes for five strains.
• To investigate mobile genetic elements and virulence factors associated with S. petrasii.

Main Methods:

• MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for species identification.
• Fingerprinting methods including (GTG)5 repetitive PCR and ribotyping for subspecies identification.
• Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis for strain typing.
• De novo sequencing, whole genome assembly, and annotation.

Main Results:

• Characterization of 65 S. petrasii isolates, with subspecies identification for most.
• Identification of novel mobile genetic elements (e.g., staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec, transposons, plasmids) carrying antimicrobial resistance genes.
• Discovery of numerous putative virulence factors, including adhesins, exoenzymes, and capsule formation genes.
• Detection of methicillin resistance in S. petrasii subsp. jettensis strains.

Conclusions:

• Staphylococcus petrasii possesses a range of virulence factors and mobile genetic elements contributing to its pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance.
• The findings highlight the clinical significance of S. petrasii, emphasizing the need for accurate identification and further research into its role in human infections.