Draft genome sequences of clinical mastitis-associated Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium carrying...

The emergence of antimicrobial-resistant and mastitis-associated Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium is of great concern due to the huge economic losses associated with enterococcal infections. Here we report the draft genome sequences of E. faecalis and E. faecium strains that were isolated from raw milk samples obtained from mastitis-infected cows in Bangladesh.

The two strains were isolated, identified, and genomic DNA was sequenced using the Illumina NextSeq 550 platform. The assembled contigs were analysed for virulence, antimicrobial resistance genes, and multilocus sequence type. The genomes were compared to previously reported E. faecalis and E. faecium genomes to generate core genome phylogenetic trees.

E. faecalis strain BR-MHR218Efa and E. faecium strain BR-MHR268Efe belonged to multilocus sequence types ST-190 and ST-22, respectively, both of which appear to represent relatively rare sequence types. BR-MHR268Efe harboured only one antibiotic resistance gene encoding resistance towards macrolides (lsa(A)), while BR-MHR218Efa harboured ten different antibiotic resistance genes encoding resistance to aminoglycosides (ant[6]-Ia, aph(3')-III), sulphonamides (aac(6')-II), lincosamides (lnu(B)), macrolides (erm(B)), MLSB antibiotics (msr(C)), tetracyclines (tet(M), tet(L)), trimethoprim (dfrG), and pleuromutilin-lincosamide-streptogramin A (lsa(E)). Virulence gene composition was different between the two isolates. BR-MHR218Efa harboured only two virulence genes involved in adherence (acm and scm). BR-MHR268Efe harboured eight complete virulence operons including three operons involved in adherence (Ace, Ebp pili, and EfaA), two operons involved in biofilm formation (BopD and Fsr), and three exoenzymes (gelatinase, hyaluronidase, SprE).

The genome sequences of the strains BR-MHR268Efe and BR-MHR218Efa will serve as a reference point for molecular epidemiological studies of mastitis-associated E. faecalis and E. faecium. Additionally, the findings will help understand the complex antimicrobial-resistance in livestock-assoiated Enterococci.