A Type I Restriction-Modification System Associated with Enterococcus faecium Subspecies Separation.

ABSTRACT: The gastrointestinal colonizer Enterococcus faecium is a leading cause of hospital-acquired infections. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) E. faecium isolates are particularly concerning for infection treatment. Previous comparative genomic studies revealed that subspecies referred to as clade A and clade B exist within E. faecium MDR E. faecium isolates belong to clade A, while clade B consists of drug-susceptible fecal commensal E. faecium isolates. Isolates from clade A are further grouped into two subclades, clades A1 and A2. In general, clade A1 isolates are hospital-epidemic isolates, whereas clade A2 isolates are isolates from animals and sporadic human infections. Such phylogenetic separation indicates that reduced gene exchange occurs between the clades.

SUBMITTER: Huo W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6328761 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature