The distribution of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in MRSA CC398 is associated with both host and country

TY - JOUR

T1 - The distribution of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in MRSA CC398 is associated with both host and country

AU - McCarthy, Alex J.

AU - Witney, Adam A.

AU - Gould, Katherine A.

AU - Moodley, Arshnee

AU - Guardabassi, Luca

AU - Voss, Andreas

AU - Denis, Olivier

AU - Broens, Els M.

AU - Hinds, Jason

AU - Lindsay, Jodi A.

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clonal complex (CC) 398 has emerged from pigs to cause human infections in Europe and North America. We used a new 62-strain S. aureus microarray (SAM-62) to compare genomes of isolates from three geographical areas (Belgium, Denmark, and Netherlands) to understand how CC398 colonizes different mammalian hosts. The core genomes of 44 pig isolates and 32 isolates from humans did not vary. However, mobile genetic element (MGE) distribution was variable including SCCmec. ψ3 bacteriophage and human specificity genes (chp, sak, scn) were found in invasive human but not pig isolates. SaPI5 and putative ruminant specificity gene variants (vwb and scn) were common but not pig specific. Virulence and resistance gene carriage was host associated but country specific. We conclude MGE exchange is frequent in CC398 and greatest among populations in close contact. This feature may help determine epidemiological associations among isolates of the same lineage.

AB - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clonal complex (CC) 398 has emerged from pigs to cause human infections in Europe and North America. We used a new 62-strain S. aureus microarray (SAM-62) to compare genomes of isolates from three geographical areas (Belgium, Denmark, and Netherlands) to understand how CC398 colonizes different mammalian hosts. The core genomes of 44 pig isolates and 32 isolates from humans did not vary. However, mobile genetic element (MGE) distribution was variable including SCCmec. ψ3 bacteriophage and human specificity genes (chp, sak, scn) were found in invasive human but not pig isolates. SaPI5 and putative ruminant specificity gene variants (vwb and scn) were common but not pig specific. Virulence and resistance gene carriage was host associated but country specific. We conclude MGE exchange is frequent in CC398 and greatest among populations in close contact. This feature may help determine epidemiological associations among isolates of the same lineage.

KW - Former LIFE faculty

KW - methicillin-resistant Staphlococcus aureus

KW - host specificity

KW - mobile genetic elements

KW - zoonoses

KW - bacteriophages

U2 - 10.1093/gbe/evr092

DO - 10.1093/gbe/evr092

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 21920902

SN - 1474-7596

VL - 3

SP - 1164

EP - 1174

JO - Genome Biology (Online Edition)

JF - Genome Biology (Online Edition)

ER -