Journal article
Genomic analyses of Neisseria gonorrhoeae reveal an association of the gonococcal genetic island with antimicrobial resistance
- Abstract:
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Objectives
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threatens our ability to treat the sexually transmitted bacterial infection gonorrhoea. The increasing availability of whole genome sequence (WGS) data from Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates, however, provides us with an opportunity in which WGS can be mined for AMR determinants.
Methods
Chromosomal and plasmid genes implicated in AMR were catalogued on the PubMLST Neisseria database (http://pubmlst.org/neisseria). AMR genotypes were identified in WGS from 289 gonococci for which MICs against several antimicrobial compounds had been determined. Whole genome comparisons were undertaken using whole genome MLST (wgMLST).
Results
Clusters of isolates with distinct AMR genotypes were apparent following wgMLST analysis consistent with the occurrence of genome wide genetic variation. This included the presence of the gonococcal genetic island (GGI), a type 4 secretion system shown to increase recombination and for which possession was significantly associated with AMR to multiple antimicrobials.
Conclusions
Evolution of the gonococcal genome occurs in response to antimicrobial selective pressure resulting in the formation of distinct N. gonorrhoeae populations evidenced by the wgMLST clusters seen here. Genomic islands offer selective advantages to host bacteria and possession of the GGI may, not only facilitate the spread of AMR in gonococcal populations, but may also confer fitness advantages.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Peer reviewed
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- Files:
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(Preview, Version of record, pdf, 658.3KB, Terms of use)
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- Publisher copy:
- 10.1016/j.jinf.2016.08.010
Authors
- Funder identifier:
- https://ror.org/029chgv08
- Grant:
- 087622/Z/08/2
- Funder identifier:
- https://ror.org/04hsdam77
- Grant:
- AMD-18
- Funder identifier:
- https://ror.org/01cwqze88
- Grant:
- K08-AI104767-01
- Publisher:
- Elsevier
- Journal:
- Journal of Infection More from this journal
- Volume:
- 73
- Issue:
- 6
- Pages:
- 578-587
- Publication date:
- 2016-08-26
- Acceptance date:
- 2016-08-20
- DOI:
- EISSN:
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1532-2742
- ISSN:
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0163-4453
- Language:
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English
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
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pubs:641004
- UUID:
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uuid:1d0d5268-4479-4937-85d9-57bdf18096e8
- Local pid:
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pubs:641004
- Source identifiers:
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641004
- Deposit date:
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2016-08-30
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- Harrison et al.
- Copyright date:
- 2016
- Rights statement:
- © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The British Infection Association. This is an open access article under the CC BY license.
- Licence:
- CC Attribution (CC BY)
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