Mobile genetic elements in <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i>
Ting Pan, Q. Li
Abstract
ABSTRACT Klebsiella pneumoniae is a clinically important pathogenic bacteria that poses a serious threat to human health. In particular, the emergence of hypervirulent and multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae has posed great challenges in clinical anti-infective therapy. In the K. pneumoniae genome, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as plasmids, prophages, transposons, and insertion sequences, enhance bacterial viability and adaptation by mediating the horizontal transfer of virulence genes, antibiotic resistance genes, and other adaptive genes. This paper reviews the types and characteristics of the main MGEs in K. pneumoniae , focusing on their effects on bacterial virulence and antibiotic resistance, with the aim of providing clues for developing infection control measures and new antibacterial drugs.