Identification of putative zinc hydrolase genes of the metallo-beta-lactamase superfamily from Campylobacter jejuni

Resistance to Antibiotics in Thermophilic Campylobacters

Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) is one of the most frequent causes of bacterial enterocolitis globally. The disease in human is usually self-limiting, but when complications arise antibiotic therapy is required at a time when resistance to antibiotics is increasing worldwide. Mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in bacteria are diverse depending on antibiotic type and usage and include: enzymatic destruction or drug inactivation; alteration of the target enzyme; alteration of cell membrane permeability; alteration of ribosome structure and alteration of the metabolic pathway(s). Resistance of Campylobacter spp. to antibiotics, especially fluoroquinolones is now a major public health problem in developed and developing countries. In this review the mechanisms of resistance to fluoroquinolones, macrolides, tetracycline, aminoglycoside and the role of integrons in resistance of Campylobacter (especially at the molecular level) are discussed, as well as the mechanisms of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, sulphonamides and trimethoprim. Multiple drug resistance is an increasing problem for treatment of campylobacter infections and emergence of resistant strains and resistance are important One Health issues.

Whole-Genome Sequence Analysis of Multidrug-Resistant Campylobacter Isolates: a Focus on Aminoglycoside Resistance Determinants

A whole-genome sequencing (WGS) approach was conducted in order to identify the molecular determinants associated with antimicrobial resistance in 12 multidrug-resistant Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates, with a focus on aminoglycoside resistance determinants. Two variants of a new aminoglycoside phosphotransferase gene [aph(2″)-Ii1 and aph(2″)-Ii2 ] putatively associated with gentamicin resistance were found. In addition, the following new genes were identified for the first time in Campylobacter: a lincosamide nucleotidyltransferase gene [lnu(G)], likely associated with lincomycin resistance, and two resistance enzyme genes (spw and apmA) similar to those found in Staphylococcus aureus, which may confer spectinomycin and gentamicin resistance, respectively. A C1192T mutation of the 16S rRNA gene that may be involved in spectinomycin resistance was also found in a C. coli isolate. Genes identified in the present study were located either on the bacterial chromosome or on plasmids that could be transferred naturally. Their role in aminoglycoside resistance remains to be supported by genetic studies. Regarding the other antimicrobial agents studied, i.e., ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, and tetracycline, a perfect correlation between antimicrobial phenotypes and genotypes was found. Overall, our data suggest that WGS analysis is a powerful tool for identifying resistance determinants in Campylobacter and can disclose the full genetic elements associated with resistance, including antimicrobial compounds not tested routinely in antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Characterization of a novel metallo-β-lactamases fold hydrolase from Pelagibacterium halotolerans, a marine halotolerant bacterium isolated from East China Sea

In this study, a novel metallo-β-lactamases fold hydrolase PH-1 was identified from Pelagibacterium halotolerans B2(T). This novel member of the family Hyphomicrobiaceae was isolated from the East China Sea. In silico analysis demonstrated that PH-1 and its relative homologues cluster in a unique branch and constitute a new subgroup among MBLs. PH-1 was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 in a soluble form. SDS-PAGE, MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS, and size-exclusion chromatography analysis demonstrated that the PH-1 was a monomer with molecular weight of about 29 kDa. Substrate specificity study showed PH-1 preferred penicillin type β-lactams and exhibited maximum activity toward penicillin-G. Additionally, our experiments also revealed that PH-1 was a halotolerant enzyme since it is active under 4 M NaCl. The enzyme activity of PH-1 was negatively affected by 1 mM Mn(2+) and EDTA. These observations lay a foundation for further study of MBLs from marine bacterium.

One origin for metallo-β-lactamase activity, or two? An investigation assessing a diverse set of reconstructed ancestral sequences based on a sample of phylogenetic trees

Bacteria use metallo-β-lactamase enzymes to hydrolyse lactam rings found in many antibiotics, rendering them ineffective. Metallo-β-lactamase activity is thought to be polyphyletic, having arisen on more than one occasion within a single functionally diverse homologous superfamily. Since discovery of multiple origins of enzymatic activity conferring antibiotic resistance has broad implications for the continued clinical use of antibiotics, we test the hypothesis of polyphyly further; if lactamase function has arisen twice independently, the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) is not expected to possess lactam-hydrolysing activity. Two major problems present themselves. Firstly, even with a perfectly known phylogeny, ancestral sequence reconstruction is error prone. Secondly, the phylogeny is not known, and in fact reconstructing a single, unambiguous phylogeny for the superfamily has proven impossible. To obtain a more statistical view of the strength of evidence for or against MRCA lactamase function, we reconstructed a sample of 98 MRCAs of the metallo-β-lactamases, each based on a different tree in a bootstrap sample of reconstructed phylogenies. InterPro sequence signatures and homology modelling were then used to assess our sample of MRCAs for lactamase functionality. Only 5 % of these models conform to our criteria for metallo-β-lactamase functionality, suggesting that the ancestor was unlikely to have been a metallo-β-lactamase. On the other hand, given that ancestral proteins may have had metallo-β-lactamase functionality with variation in sequence and structural properties compared with extant enzymes, our criteria are conservative, estimating a lower bound of evidence for metallo-β-lactamase functionality but not an upper bound.

Resistance mechanisms in Campylobacter jejuni

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of food-borne gastroenteritis worldwide. While mortality is low, morbidity imparted by post-infectious sequelae such as Guillain-Barré syndrome, Reiter syndrome/reactive arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome is significant. In addition, the economic cost is high due to lost productivity. Food animals, particularly poultry, are the main reservoirs of C. jejuni. The over-use of antibiotics in the human population and in animal husbandry has led to an increase in antibiotic-resistant infections, particularly with fluoroquinolones. This is problematic because C. jejuni gastroenteritis is clinically indistinguishable from that caused by other bacterial pathogens, and such illnesses are usually treated empirically with fluoroquinolones. Since C. jejuni is naturally transformable, acquisition of additional genes imparting antibiotic resistance is likely. Therefore, an understanding of the antibiotic resistance mechanisms in C. jejuni is needed to provide proper therapy both to the veterinary and human populations.

Spectroscopic signature of a ubiquitous metal binding site in the metallo-β-lactamase superfamily

The metallo-β-lactamase (MβL) superfamily is a functionally diverse group of metalloproteins sharing a distinctive αβ/αβ fold and a characteristic metal binding motif. A large number of open reading frames identified in genomic sequencing efforts have been annotated as members of this superfamily through sequence comparisons. However, structural and functional studies performed on purified proteins are normally needed to unequivocally include a newly discovered protein in the MβL superfamily. Here we report the spectroscopic characterization of recombinant YcbL, a gene product annotated as a member of the MβL superfamily whose function in vivo remains unknown. By taking advantage of the structural features characterizing the MβL superfamily metal binding motif, we performed spectroscopic studies on Zn(II)- and Co(II)-substituted YcbL to structurally interrogate the metal binding site. The dinuclear center in Co(II)-YcbL was shown to display characteristic electronic absorption features in the visible region, which were also observed in an engineered MβL aimed at mimicking this metal site. Thus, the spectroscopic features reported herein can be employed as a signature to readily identify and characterize the presence of these ubiquitous metal binding sites.

Beta-lactamase-mediated beta-lactam resistance in Campylobacter species: prevalence of Cj0299 (bla OXA-61) and evidence for a novel beta-Lactamase in C. jejuni

Fifty-two percent of 1,288 poultry isolates of campylobacters were ampicillin resistant, and resistance was more common among Campylobacter coli isolates (67.4%) than among Campylobacter jejuni isolates (47.5%). Production of beta-lactamase was typically associated with resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin (amoxicilline), penicillin, and ticarcillin. Regardless of beta-lactamase production, all isolates were resistant to piperacillin (MICs >or= 256 microg/ml), and most were resistant to carbenicillin, cloxacillin, and cephalosporins. Of all ampicillin-resistant campylobacters tested, 91% (347/380) carried the bla(OXA-61) gene, and 77% (136/175) of those tested with nitrocefin produced a beta-lactamase, presumably OXA-61. The isoelectric point (pI) of OXA-61 was 8.7, and the molecular mass was 31.0 kDa. Insertional inactivation of bla(OXA-61) in C. jejuni NCTC 11168 and two ampicillin-resistant isolates resulted in increased susceptibility to ampicillin, co-amoxiclav (amoxicillin and clavulanic acid), penicillin, carbenicillin, oxacillin, and piperacillin, but the effects on MICs of cephalosporins and imipenem were negligible. Some C. jejuni isolates that lacked bla(OXA-61) produced a beta-lactamase, CjBla2, with a pI of 9.2 and molecular mass of 32.4 kDa. Mass spectrometry confirmed that the most prevalent beta-lactamase was the product of bla(OXA-61), but CjBla2 was not identified. OXA-61 is prevalent among Campylobacter spp. of veterinary origin and is similar to the beta-lactamase previously reported in human isolates. Production of OXA-61 was associated with resistance to penams but not cephalosporins. Co-amoxiclav remained active against all isolates tested.