| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.89 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Staphylococcus saprophyticus is a common pathogen of the urinary tract, a
heavy metal-rich environment, but information regarding its heavy metal resistance is
unknown. We investigated 422 S. saprophyticus isolates from human infection and colonization/contamination, animals, and environmental sources for resistance to copper, zinc,
arsenic, and cadmium using the agar dilution method. To identify the genes associated
with metal resistance and assess possible links to pathogenicity, we accessed the wholegenome sequence of all isolates and used in silico and pangenome-wide association
approaches. The MIC values for copper and zinc were uniformly high (1,600mg/liter).
Genes encoding copper efflux pumps (copA, copB, copZ, mco, and csoR) and zinc transporters (zinT, czrAB, znuBC, and zur) were abundant in the population (20 to 100%).
Arsenic and cadmium showed various susceptibility levels. Genes encoding the ars operon
(arsRDABC), an ABC transporter and a two-component permease, were linked to resistance
to arsenic (MICs$ 1,600mg/liter; 14% [58/422]; P, 0.05). At least three cad genes (cadA
or cadC and cadD-cadX or czrC) and genes encoding multidrug efflux pumps and hyperosmoregulation in acidified conditions were associated with resistance to cadmium
(MICs$ 200mg/liter; 20% [85/422]; P, 0.05). These resistance genes were frequently carried
by mobile genetic elements. Resistance to arsenic and cadmium were linked to human
infection and a clonal lineage originating in animals (P, 0.05). Altogether, S. saprophyticus
was highly resistant to heavy metals and accumulated multiple metal resistance determinants. The highest arsenic and cadmium resistance levels were associated with infection,
suggesting resistance to these metals is relevant for S. saprophyticus pathogenicity
Description
Research Areas: Microbiology ; Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Keywords
Staphylococcus saprophyticus Urinary tract infection Environment Heavy metals Whole-genome sequencing Pan-GWAS Metal resistance determinants Copper Zinc Arsenic Cadmium Metal resistance
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Lawal OU, Fraqueza MJ, Worning P, Bouchami O, Bartels MD, Goncalves L, Paixão P, Goncalves E, Toscano C, Empel J, Urbans M, Domínguez MA, Westh H, de Lencastre H, Miragaia M. 2021. Staphylococcus saprophyticus causing infections in humans is associated with high resistance to heavy metals. Antimicrobial Agents Chemotherapy, 65(7):e02685-20. Doi: 10.1128/AAC.02685-20
Publisher
American Society for Microbiology