A Multi-resistance Plasmid Isolated from Commensal Neisseria Species is Closely Related to the Enterobacterial Plasmid RSF1010

Rotger, Rafael; Rubio, Fernando; Nombela, César

doi:10.1099/00221287-132-9-2491

Cited by 21 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…It is assumed that this group of plasmids cannot be maintained in N. gonorrhoeae because of plasmid replication deficiencies (18). In addition to the 3-lactamase plasmids, plasmids having homology to the broad-host-range incompatibility group Q (IncQ) plasmids, namely, RSF1010, have been found in a variety of commensal Neisseria species and in Neisseria meningitidis (5,19,23,24). These RSF1010-like plasmids are the first multiresistant plasmid group found in Neisseria spp., having resistance not only to sulfonamide and streptomycin but also to ampicillin (23).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

High-frequency mobilization of broad-host-range plasmids into Neisseria gonorrhoeae requires methylation in the donor

Butler

Gotschlich

1991

J Bacteriol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Antibiotic resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been associated with the acquisition of R plasmids from heterologous organisms. The broad-host-range plasmids of incompatibility groups P (IncP) and Q (IncQ) have played a role in this genetic exchange in nature. We have utilized derivatives of RSF1010 (IncQ) and RP1 (IncP) to demonstrate that the plethora of restriction barriers associated with the gonococci markedly reduces mobilization of plasmids from Escherichia coli into strains F62 and PGH 3-2. Partially purified restriction endonucleases from these gonococcal strains can digest RSF1010 in vitro. Protection of RSF1010-km from digestion by gonococcal enzymes purified from strain F62 is observed when the plasmid is isolated from E. coli containing a coresident plasmid, pCAL7. Plasmid pCAL7 produces a 5 _MECG-3' cytosine methylase (M.SssI). The M.SssI methylase only partially protects RSF1010-km from digestion by restriction enzymes from strain PGH 3-2. Total protection of RSF1010-km from PGH 3-2 restriction requires both pCAL7 and a second coresident plasmid, pFnuDI, which produces a 5'-GG'CC-3' cytosine methylase. When both F62 and PGH 3-2 are utilized as recipients in heterospecific matings with E. coli, mobilization of RSF1010 from strains containing the appropriate methylases into the gonococci occurs at frequencies 4 orders of magnitude higher than from strains without the methylases. Thus, protection of RSF1010 from gonococcal restriction enzymes in vitro correlates with an increase in the conjugal frequency. These data indicate that restriction is a major barrier against efficient conjugal transfer between N. gonorrhoeae and heterologous hosts.In nature, conjugation appears to play an important role in the mobilization of antibiotic resistance plasmids into various species of the genus Neisseria. Resistance plasmids can be transferred, for example, from enteric bacteria to Neisseria gonorrhoeae, as has been hypothesized by Roberts and Falkow (22). Likewise, other investigators have demonstrated that the broad-host-range incompatibility group P (IncP) plasmid pUB307 can mobilize pLES2 from Escherichia coli to N. gonorrhoeae (18). Thus, IncP elements may contribute to the establishment of resistance plasmids in Neisseria spp., although IncP elements have not been found in Neisseria organisms. It is assumed that this group of plasmids cannot be maintained in N. gonorrhoeae because of plasmid replication deficiencies (18). In addition to the 3-lactamase plasmids, plasmids having homology to the broad-host-range incompatibility group Q (IncQ) plasmids, namely, RSF1010, have been found in a variety of commensal Neisseria species and in Neisseria meningitidis (5,19,23,24). These RSF1010-like plasmids are the first multiresistant plasmid group found in Neisseria spp., having resistance not only to sulfonamide and streptomycin but also to ampicillin (23). The possibility exists for dissemination of these plasmids into N. gonorrhoeae.Naturally occurring IncP elements (as illustrated by RK2, RP1, and R68 [1]...

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 99%

High-frequency mobilization of broad-host-range plasmids into Neisseria gonorrhoeae requires methylation in the donor

Butler

Gotschlich

1991

J Bacteriol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, plasmids having homology to the IncQ groups, such as RSF1010, have been found in commensal Neisseria spp. and Neisseria meningitidis (14,37,39). Therefore, it was of interest to ascertain whether the various origins of replication on pJD4 were incompatible with characterized enteric plasmids (8).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multiple Origins and Replication Proteins Influence Biological Properties of β-Lactamase-Producing Plasmids from Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Pagotto

Dillon

2001

J Bacteriol

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The ␤-lactamase-producing Asia-type plasmid pJD4 of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a 7.4-kb, broad-host-range plasmid. It is part of a family of plasmids which are structurally related yet vary in size, found in both N. gonorrhoeae and Haemophilus ducreyi. Branch-point analysis by electron microscopy indicates that pJD4 carries three clustered but distinguishable origins of replication, which we named ori1, ori2, and ori3. Although pJD4 belongs to incompatibility (Inc) group W, it also carries a silent IncFII determinant which is expressed when ori2 and ori3 are absent. The Africa-type plasmid pJD5, a naturally occurring deletion derivative of pJD4, carries only ori1, belongs to the IncFII group, and, in contrast to pJD4, requires DNA polymerase I (Pol I) for replication. Plasmids constructed from pJD4 which lack ori1 but carry ori2 and ori3 do not require Pol I and are incompatible with IncW plasmids, suggesting that the ori2 or ori3 region contains the IncW determinant. We have cloned a replication initiation protein (RepB) that is necessary for ori2 and ori3 to function. This Rep protein is distinct from RepA, which is necessary for ori1. Thus, pJD4 is unique because it is the smallest plasmid characterized containing three origins of replication and two unique Rep proteins.Plasmids of gram-negative bacteria containing three origins of replication are rare (1, 9, 23); to date, only three such naturally occurring plasmids have been described. The first plasmid discovered, F (94.5 kb), contains remnants of three independent replication regions, RepFIC, RepFIA, and RepFIB (3,8). A 9-kb mini-F plasmid, containing the complete RepF1A region, includes seven genes encoding proteins involved in the replication and maintenance of the plasmid, including a single replication initiation protein (Rep) and two origins, oriV and oriS (8). Related plasmids lacking the RepF1A region require RepF1B, a less stable replicon (27). The RepF1C replicon was shown to have been rendered nonfunctional on the F plasmid by the natural insertion of the transposon Tn1000 (25,40). This replicon, in members of the F plasmid family, resembles the replication region of the plasmid R1 (25). The IncN plasmid pCU1 contains three origins of replication (oriB, oriS, and oriV), all located on a 2-kb DNA fragment, which are driven by a single Rep protein (1, 38). The third and best-characterized plasmid with three origins (␣, ␤, and ␥) is the 38-kb plasmid RK6. This plasmid also carries genes for two replication proteins, pir (encoding the protein for origins ␣ and ␥) and bis (Bis for origin ␤) (31). These origins and genes are located on a 4-kb DNA fragment (18, 31).It appears that the penicillinase-producing plasmids of N. gonorrhoeae contain different and multiple origins of replication as well. These plasmids belong to a family of plasmids that are genetically related (33). Since the isolation of the first penicillinase-producing isolate in 1976, their worldwide spread and prevalence (i.e., over 50 to 80% of all gonococci isolated in some countries) h...

show abstract

“…Although few plasmids of neisseriae have been sequenced, different plasmids have been identified in both pathogenic and commensal neisseriae, albeit with a bias to antibiotic resistance plasmids (7,22,24). This limited amount of sequence data restricts insight into neisserial plasmid diversity and evolution.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Plasmid Diversity in Neisseriae

2006

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Horizontal gene transfer constitutes an important force in prokaryotic genome evolution, and it is wellknown that plasmids are vehicles for DNA transfer. Chromosomal DNA is frequently exchanged between pathogenic and commensal neisseriae, but relatively little is known about plasmid diversity and prevalence among these nasopharyngeal inhabitants. We investigated the plasmid contents of 18 Neisseria lactamica isolates and 20 nasopharyngeal Neisseria meningitidis isolates. Of 18 N. lactamica strains, 9 harbored one or more plasmids, whereas only one N. meningitidis isolate contained a plasmid. Twelve plasmids were completely sequenced, while five plasmid sequences from the public databases were also included in the analyses. On the basis of nucleic acid sequences, mobilization, and replicase protein alignments, we distinguish six different plasmid groups (I to VI). Three plasmids from N. lactamica appeared to be highly similar on the nucleotide level to the meningococcal plasmids pJS-A (>99%) and pJS-B (>75%). The genetic organizations of two plasmids show a striking resemblance with that of the recently identified meningococcal disease-associated (MDA) phage, while four putative proteins encoded by these plasmids show 25% to 39% protein identity to those encoded by the MDA phage. The putative promoter of the gene encoding the replicase on these plasmids contains a polycytidine tract, suggesting that replication is subjected to phase variation. In conclusion, extensive plasmid diversity is encountered among commensal neisseriae. Members of three plasmid groups are found in both pathogenic and commensal neisseriae, indicating plasmid exchange between these species. Resemblance between plasmids and MDA phage may be indicative of dissemination of phage-related sequences among pathogenic and commensal neisseriae.

show abstract

A Multi-resistance Plasmid Isolated from Commensal Neisseria Species is Closely Related to the Enterobacterial Plasmid RSF1010

Cited by 21 publications

References 17 publications

High-frequency mobilization of broad-host-range plasmids into Neisseria gonorrhoeae requires methylation in the donor

High-frequency mobilization of broad-host-range plasmids into Neisseria gonorrhoeae requires methylation in the donor

Multiple Origins and Replication Proteins Influence Biological Properties of β-Lactamase-Producing Plasmids from Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Plasmid Diversity in Neisseriae

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About