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Multiplex PCR Assay for Typing of Staphylococcal Cassette Chromosome Mec Types I to V in Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
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Relationship between biofilm gene expression with antimicrobial resistance pattern and clinical specimen type based

Hamed Tahmasebi1, Sanaz Dehbashi2, Mojdeh Jahantigh1

  • 1Department of Microbiology, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, Zahedan, Iran.

Molecular Biology Reports
|December 20, 2019
PubMed

Insights

The ica genes in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) influence biofilm formation, with expression varying by antibiotic resistance, sequence type, and clinical source. MRSA strains showed greater sequence type and clonal complex diversity than methicillin-sensitive strains.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • The ica genes are crucial for biofilm formation in Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA).
  • Understanding the regulation of ica gene expression is vital for combating persistent bacterial infections.
  • Antibiotic resistance and clinical source can influence bacterial virulence factors like biofilm production.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the impact of antibiotic resistance and clinical specimen origin on ica gene expression in Staphylococcus aureus.
  • To correlate ica gene expression patterns with specific sequence types (STs) and clonal complexes (CCs).
  • To analyze the prevalence and distribution of STs and CCs in MRSA and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) strains.

Main Methods:

  • Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were used to detect and quantify ica gene presence and expression.
  • Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) was employed to determine the STs and CCs of the S. aureus isolates.
  • Strains were collected from two teaching hospitals in Hamedan, Iran, and characterized for biofilm production.

Main Results:

  • 29% of strains were strong biofilm producers; icaA and icaC genes were most abundant.
  • Unique STs (3667, 491) were identified in Iran; ST30 and ST11 were most common.
  • ica locus activity was high in wound and catheter isolates; icaA expression increased in most strains, while icaC was specific to CC5.
  • MRSA strains exhibited higher ST and CC diversity compared to MSSA strains.
  • ica gene expression in CC5 correlated significantly with biofilm type and clinical sample source.

Conclusions:

  • Clinical specimen type and ica gene expression are significant factors in S. aureus abundance and virulence.
  • MRSA strains demonstrate greater genetic diversity (STs and CCs) than MSSA strains.
  • The study highlights the complex interplay between host factors, bacterial genetics, and biofilm formation in S. aureus infections.
Keywords:
Antibiotic resistanceBiofilmGene expressionMethicillin resistant S. aureusVirulence factors

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