Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Heuristic Mining of Hierarchical Genotypes and Accessory Genome Loci in Bacterial Populations
08:03

Heuristic Mining of Hierarchical Genotypes and Accessory Genome Loci in Bacterial Populations

Published on: December 7, 2021

Comparative genomics reveals polyphyletic emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST152 from a

Brown Beckley1,2, Vincent Amarh3, Adesola Olalekan4

  • 1Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana. brownbeckley94@gmail.com.

BMC Microbiology
|May 13, 2026
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ST152 in Ghana emerged from multiple origins. A dominant sublineage with enhanced resistance and virulence factors drives its spread, necessitating genomic surveillance.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genomics
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • Staphylococcus aureus is a significant public health concern in Ghana.
  • The Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL)-positive Sequence Type 152 (ST152) lineage is a dominant strain.
  • Understanding methicillin resistance emergence in ST152 is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the evolutionary dynamics of Staphylococcus aureus ST152 in Ghana.
  • Determine the origins and emergence patterns of methicillin resistance within this lineage.
  • Identify factors contributing to the success of methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) ST152.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed 285 publicly available S. aureus whole-genome sequences (WGS) from Ghana.
  • Utilized the StaphScope pipeline for genomic characterization.
  • Conducted pangenome and phylogenetic analyses on 80 ST152 isolates.

Main Results:

  • ST152 was the most prevalent lineage (28.1%).
  • Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) ST152 emerged polyphyletically through multiple staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) acquisitions.
  • A dominant MRSA-enriched sublineage possesses enhanced resistance genes (catA, tet(K)), a specific plasmid replicon, and the collagen adhesin gene (cna).
  • Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) isolates were found within MRSA clusters, indicating a dynamic resistance landscape.

Conclusions:

  • MRSA ST152 emergence in Ghana is a complex, multi-origin process.
  • A specialized, adapted sublineage drives the epidemiological success of MRSA ST152.
  • Sustained genomic surveillance is essential for monitoring high-risk MRSA evolution in West Africa.
Keywords:
Staphylococcus aureusAfricaAntimicrobial resistance (AMR)GhanaMRSAPhylogenyST152

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