Rapid identification of intact bacterial resistance plasmids via optical mapping of single DNA molecules.

ABSTRACT: The rapid spread of antibiotic resistance - currently one of the greatest threats to human health according to WHO - is to a large extent enabled by plasmid-mediated horizontal transfer of resistance genes. Rapid identification and characterization of plasmids is thus important both for individual clinical outcomes and for epidemiological monitoring of antibiotic resistance. Toward this aim, we have developed an optical DNA mapping procedure where individual intact plasmids are elongated within nanofluidic channels and visualized through fluorescence microscopy, yielding barcodes that reflect the underlying sequence. The assay rapidly identifies plasmids through statistical comparisons with barcodes based on publicly available sequence repositories and also enables detection of structural

SUBMITTER: Nyberg LK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4961956 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature