Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae: Use of Whole-Genome Sequences To Validate Species Identification Methods

Broad-range amplification and sequencing of the rpoB gene: a novel assay for bacterial identification in clinical microbiology

The rpoB gene has been proposed as a promising phylogenetic marker for bacterial identification, providing theoretically improved species-level resolution compared to the 16S rRNA gene for a range of clinically important taxa. However, its utility in diagnostic microbiology has been limited by the lack of broad-range primers allowing for its amplification from most species with a single PCR assay. Here, we present an assay for broad-range partial amplification and Sanger sequencing of the rpoB gene. To reduce cross-reactivity and allow for rpoB amplification directly from patient samples, primers were based on the dual priming oligonucleotide principle. The resulting amplicon is ~550 base pairs in length and appropriate for species-level identification. Systematic in silico evaluation of a wide selection of taxa demonstrated improved resolution within multiple important genera, including Enterococcus, Fusobacterium, Mycobacterium, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus species and several genera within the Enterobacteriaceae family. Broad-range rpoB amplification and Sanger sequencing of 115 bacterial isolates provided unambiguous species-level identification for 97 (84%) isolates, as compared to 57 (50%) using a clinical 16S rRNA gene assay. Several unresolved taxonomic matters disguised by the low resolution of the 16S rRNA gene were revealed using the rpoB gene. Using a collection of 33 clinical specimens harboring bacteria and assumed to contain high concentrations of human DNA, the rpoB assay identified the pathogen in 29 specimens (88%). Broad-range rpoB amplification and sequencing provides a promising tool for bacterial identification, improving discrimination between closely related species and making it amenable for use in culture-based and culture-independent diagnostic approaches.

Molecular insights into novel environmental strains of Klebsiella quasipneumoniae harboring different antimicrobial-resistance genes

Introduction

The emergence of bacterial pathogens in environmental hosts represents a major risk to public health. This study aimed at characterizing seven novel environmental strains of K. quasipneumoniae using a genomic approach which was misidentified by phenotypic methods in a previous batch of 27 species thought to be K. pneumoniae.

Methods

Whole-genome sequencing was performed using the Illumina platform, and the generated raw reads were de novo assembled. Comparative genomic, resistome, virulome, mobilome, and phylogeny were then investigated using dierent bioinformatics tools.

Results

Six strains were identified as K. quasipneumoniae subsp similipneumoniae and one as K. quasipneumoniae subsp. quasipneumoniae. All isolates were resistant to ampicillin, cephalexin, and amoxicillin-clavulanic acid and harbored the fosA, bla _OKP types, oqxB, and oqxA genes. One isolate additionally harbored a gene cassettes consisting of bla _SHV-1, bla _OXA-1, aac(6')-Ib-cr, catB genes. The aminoglycoside-modifying enzyme gene aph(3")-Ia was bracketed by two insertion elements. Plasmid analyses showed that IncFIB_K was the most prevalent plasmid, circulating in six isolates, while one isolate exhibited seven different plasmids. The isolates have virulence genes responsible for capsule formation, lipopolysaccharide, iron uptake aerobactin (iutA), salmochelins (iroE, iroN), enterobactin siderophore, adherence, and biofilm formation (mrkA, mrkB, mrkC, mrkD, mrkF, and mrkH).

Conclusion

Our study highlights the ecology and transmission of K. quasipneumoniae (which have the ability to disseminate to other environmental sources including animals) outside the clinical setting and the contribution of water, vegetables, and table surfaces as potential reservoirs of farm-to-fork transmission of disease via local markets in Khartoum, Sudan.

Predicting β-lactam susceptibility from the genome of Streptococcus pneumoniae and other mitis group streptococci

Introduction

For Streptococcus pneumoniae, β-lactam susceptibility can be predicted from the amino acid sequence of the penicillin-binding proteins PBP1a, PBP2b, and PBP2x. The combination of PBP-subtypes provides a PBP-profile, which correlates to a phenotypic minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The non-S. pneumoniae Mitis-group streptococci (MGS) have similar PBPs and exchange pbp-alleles with S. pneumoniae. We studied whether a simple BLAST analysis could be used to predict phenotypic susceptibility in Danish S. pneumoniae isolates and in internationally collected MGS.

Method

Isolates with available WGS and phenotypic susceptibility data were included. For each isolate, the best matching PBP-profile was identified by BLAST analysis. The corresponding MICs for penicillin and ceftriaxone was retrieved. Category agreement (CA), minor-, major-, and very major discrepancy was calculated. Genotypic-phenotypic accuracy was examined with Deming regression.

Results

Among 88 S. pneumoniae isolates, 55 isolates had a recognized PBP-profile, and CA was 100% for penicillin and 98.2% for ceftriaxone. In 33 S. pneumoniae isolates with a new PBP-profile, CA was 90.9% (penicillin) and 93.8% (ceftriaxone) using the nearest recognized PBP-profile. Applying the S. pneumoniae database to non-S. pneumoniae MGS revealed that none had a recognized PBP-profile. For Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae, CA was 100% for penicillin and ceftriaxone in 19 susceptible isolates. In 33 Streptococcus mitis isolates, CA was 75.8% (penicillin) and 86.2% (ceftriaxone) and in 25 Streptococcus oralis isolates CA was 8% (penicillin) and 100% (ceftriaxone).

Conclusion

Using a simple BLAST analysis, genotypic susceptibility prediction was accurate in Danish S. pneumoniae isolates, particularly in isolates with recognized PBP-profiles. Susceptibility was poorly predicted in other MGS using the current database.

Identification of Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae and other mitis group streptococci using matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization - time of flight mass spectrometry

This study evaluated the ability of the MALDI-ToF MS from Bruker Daltonics to identify clinical Mitis-Group-Streptococcus isolates with a focus on Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae. The results were analyzed using the standard log(score) and the previously published list(score). Importantly, using the log(score) no misidentifications occurred and 27 of 29 (93%) S. pneumoniae and 27 of 30 (90%) S. oralis strains were identified, but only 1 of 31 (3%) S. pseudopneumoniae and 1 of 13 (8%) S. mitis strains were identified. However, our results show that 30 of 31 S. pseudopneumoniae strains had a S. pseudopneumoniae Main Spectral Profiles within the 3 best matches. Using the list(score) all S. oralis and S. pneumoniae strains were identified correctly, but list(score) misidentified 10 S. pseudopneumoniae and 5 S. mitis. We propose to use the log(score) for identification of S. pneumoniae, S. pseudopneumoniae, S. mitis and S. oralis, but for some strains additional testing may be needed.