Intra- and interspecies genomic transfer of the Enterococcus faecalis pathogenicity island.

ABSTRACT: Enterococci are the third leading cause of hospital associated infections and have gained increased importance due to their fast adaptation to the clinical environment by acquisition of antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity traits. Enterococcus faecalis harbours a pathogenicity island (PAI) of 153 kb containing several virulence factors including the enterococcal surface protein (esp). Until now only internal fragments of the PAI or larger chromosomal regions containing it have been transferred. Here we demonstrate precise excision, circularization and horizontal transfer of the entire PAI element from the chromosome of E. faecalis strain UW3114. This PAI (ca. 200 kb) contained some deletions and insertions as compared to the PAI of the reference strain MMH594, transferred precisely and

SUBMITTER: Laverde Gomez JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3084688 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature