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Updated: Oct 1, 2025

Isolation and Identification of Waterborne Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Molecular Characterization of their Antibiotic Resistance Genes
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Genomic Characteristics Revealed Plasmid-Mediated Pathogenicity and Ubiquitous Rifamycin Resistance of Rhodococcus

Yang Song1, Xinmin Xu2, Zhenzhou Huang3

  • 1National Pathogen Resource Center, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC), Beijing, China.

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
|March 7, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Genomic analysis of Rhodococcus equi reveals diverse virulence factors and antibiotic resistance genes. This study enhances understanding of the pathogen

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genomics
  • Pathogen Analysis

Background:

  • Rhodococcus equi is a zoonotic pathogen causing severe disease in immunocompromised individuals.
  • The epidemiology and pathogenic mechanisms of R. equi infections remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To characterize the genomes of 53 R. equi strains from various sources.
  • To investigate the genomic diversity, virulence factors, antibiotic resistance, and plasmid structures of R. equi.

Main Methods:

  • Pan-genome analysis of 53 R. equi strains.
  • Phylogenetic analysis based on pan-genome data.
  • Prediction and categorization of virulence and antibiotic resistance genes.
  • Plasmid typing and structural analysis.

Main Results:

  • The pan-genome comprised 11481 genes, with 3690 core genes and 602-1079 accessory genes.
  • Phylogenetic analysis identified six clades unrelated to host or location.
  • Eighty-four virulence genes and six antibiotic resistance genes (including RbpA for rifamycin resistance) were detected.
  • Twenty-eight plasmids of Type-A, Type-B, and Type-N were identified with conserved structures within types.

Conclusions:

  • R. equi strains exhibit significant genomic variation, including diverse virulence genes and antibiotic resistance profiles.
  • Plasmid structures vary but show similarity within types, potentially influencing pathogenesis.
  • This genomic characterization provides insights into the evolution and pathogenicity of R. equi.
Keywords:
Rhodococcus equigenomic characteristicspan-genomeplasmid-mediated pathogenicityrifamycin resistance

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