Characterization of IS1272, an insertion sequence-like element from Staphylococcus haemolyticus

Abstract

We have previously shown (G. L. Archer, D. M. Niemeyer, J. A. Thanassi, and M. J. Pucci, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 38:447-454, 1994) that some methicillin-resistant staphylococcal isolates contain a partial deletion of the genes (mecR1 and mecI) that regulate the transcription of the methicillin resistance structural gene (mecA). When a fragment of DNA inserted at the point of the mecR1 deletion was used as a probe, hybridization with multiple bands was detected for Staphylococcus haemolyticus genomic DNA. In the present study, DNA sequencing of four unique clones recovered from a lambda library of S. haemolyticus revealed identical 1,934-bp elements. Each element, designated IS1272, contained 16-bp terminal inverted repeats (sequence identity, 15 of 16 bp) and two open reading frames of 819 and 687 bp; there were no flanking target site duplications. Database searches yielded amino acid homology with proteins predicted to be encoded by open reading frames from a putative insertion sequence element from Enterococcus hirae. DNA probes from each end and the middle of IS1272 were hybridized with restriction endonuclease-digested genomic DNA from clinical S. haemolyticus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Staphylococcus aureus isolates. Each of the 20 or more copies of the element found in S. haemolyticus isolates was intact, and copies were found in most chromosomal SmaI fragments. S. aureus and S. epidermidis isolates contained mostly incomplete fragments of the element, and there were many more hybridizing fragments in methicillin-resistant than in methicillin-susceptible isolates. IS1272, which appears to be primarily resident in S. haemolyticus, has disseminated to multiple staphylococcal species and is prevalent in multiresistant isolates.

Sequence Diversities of Serine-Aspartate Repeat Genes among Staphylococcus aureus Isolates from Different Hosts Presumably by Horizontal Gene Transfer

“…An insertion sequence in the sdrC A region was found to be similar to the C-terminal region of Enterococcus faecium transposase IS1216V (EMBL: L40841), sharing 46% identity. In addition, its organizational structure was similar to transposon IS1272 [34]. As shown in Figure 1, the sdrC in this mutant from an Eastern Canada cow was totally different from that of other cows in the same region.…”

SCCmecin staphylococci: genes on the move

“…Our studies have shown that CoNS strains contain ccrAB genes that are 100% identical to S. aureus (Hanssen et al , 2004, 2005). Another line of evidence is that IS 1272 is present in Staphylococcus haemolyticus and S. epidermidis but is less frequently found in S. aureus (Archer et al , 1996). Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis have identical IS 1272– Δ mecR1 junction sequences in SCC mec type I and IV (Wisplinghoff et al , 2003).…”

Bridges from hospitals to the laboratory: genetic portraits of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureusclones

“…The origins of the SSC mec are unknown and so far, no bacterial isolates of any other genera have been reported to carry this element. The presence of IS 1272 , an insertion sequence prevalent in Staphylococcus haemolyticus , in the SCC mec types I and IV led to the proposal that SCC mec type I was transferred from this species to S. aureus in the past [16].…”