A Small KPC-2-Producing Plasmid in <i>Klebsiella pneumoniae</i> : Implications for Diversified Vehicles of Carbapenem Resistance
Qiwei Chen, Lizhang Liu, Xiaofang Hu, Xu Jia, Xiaowei Gong, Youjun Feng, Man Huang
Abstract
A rare ST437 isolate termed K186 was clinically determined which was unlike ST11, the dominant sequence type of CRKP. Whole-genome sequencing enabled us to discover three distinct resistance plasmids, namely, pK186_1, pK186_2, and pK186_KPC. Among them, pK186_KPC appears as a unique plasmid ~26 kb in size, much smaller than the prevalent forms (~120 to ~170 kb). Intriguingly, genetic analysis suggests that it might originate from Proteus mirabilis. This result constitutes an additional example of differentiated plasmid vehicles dedicated to the emergence and dissemination of KPC-2 carbapenem resistance.
Topics & Concepts
PlasmidKlebsiella pneumoniaeBiologyWhole genome sequencingGeneticsEnterobacteriaceaeGenomeSequence (biology)MicrobiologyInsertion sequenceCarbapenemKlebsiella infectionsGeneEscherichia coliTransposable elementAntibioticsAntibiotic Resistance in BacteriaEnterobacteriaceae and Cronobacter ResearchPharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts