Frequent convergence of mcr-9 and carbapenemase genes in Enterobacter cloacae complex driven by epidemic plasmids and host incompatibility

Xu, Tingting1; Xue, Chun-Xu1; Chen, Yuxin2; Huang, Junxi1; Wu, Weiyuan3; Lu, Yuemei3; Huang, Qiuhui1; Chen, Dandan1; Zhou, Kai1

2022-12-31

10.1080/22221751.2022.2103456

EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS   Impact Factor & Quartile

2222-1751

Convergence of mcr and carbapenemase genes has been sporadically detected in Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) with an upward trend. However, the state of the epidemic and underlying mechanism of such convergence has been poorly understood. In this study, the co-occurrence of MCR and carbapenemases was systematically analyzed in 230 clinical ECC isolates collected between 2000 and 2018 together with a global dataset consisting of 3,559 ECC genomes compiled from GenBank. We identified 48 mcr-9/mcr-10-positive isolates (MCR-ECC) (20.9%) in our collection, and a comparable ratio of MCR-ECC (720/3559, 20.2%) was detected in the global dataset. A high prevalence of carbapenemase-producing MCR-ECC (MCR-CREC) was further identified in the MCR-ECC of both datasets (16/48, 33.3%; 388/720, 53.9%), demonstrating a frequent convergence of mcr-9/10 and carbapenemase genes in ECC worldwide. An epidemic IncHI2/2A plasmid with a highly conserved backbone was identified and largely contributed to the dissemination of mcr-9 in ECC worldwide. A highly conserved IncX3-type NDM-1-carrying plasmid and IncN-type IMP-4-carrying plasmid were additionally detected in MCR-CREC isolated in China. Our surveillance data showed that MCR-CREC emerged (in 2013) much later than MCR-ECC (in 2000), indicating that MCR-CREC could be derived from MCR-ECC by additional captures of carbapenemase-encoding plasmids. Tests of plasmid stability and incompatibility showed that the mcr-9/mcr-10-encoding plasmids with the NDM-1-encoding plasmids stably remained in ECC but incompatible in Escherichia coli, suggesting that the convergence was host-dependent. The findings extend our concern on the convergence of resistance to the last resort antibiotics and highlight the necessity of continued surveillance in the future.

Enterobacter cloacae complex mcr-9 carbapenemase epidemic plasmid antibiotic resistance

SCI

English

First ; Corresponding

National Natural Science Foundation of China[81902030,82172330] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Program["JCYJ20190807144409307","JCYJ20210324113608022"] ; Shenzhen Basic Research Key projects[JCYJ20200109144220704] ; National Key Research and Development Programme of China[2021YFC2300300,2022YFE0103200]

Immunology ; Infectious Diseases ; Microbiology

Immunology ; Infectious Diseases ; Microbiology

WOS:000836483800001

TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD

Web of Science

1.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Shenzhen Peoples Hosp, Affiliated Hosp 1, Jinan Univ,Clin Med Coll 2,Shenzhen Inst Resp Dis, Dongmen North Rd 1017, Shenzhen 518020, Peoples R China
2.Jiangsu Univ, Dept Lab Med, Nanjing Drum Tower Hosp, Clin Coll, Nanjing, Peoples R China
3.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Shenzhen Peoples Hosp, Affiliated Hosp 1, Jinan Univ,Clin Med Coll 2,Clin Lab, Shenzhen, Peoples R China

Xu, Tingting,Xue, Chun-Xu,Chen, Yuxin,et al. Frequent convergence of mcr-9 and carbapenemase genes in Enterobacter cloacae complex driven by epidemic plasmids and host incompatibility[J]. EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS,2022,11(1).

Xu, Tingting.,Xue, Chun-Xu.,Chen, Yuxin.,Huang, Junxi.,Wu, Weiyuan.,...&Zhou, Kai.(2022).Frequent convergence of mcr-9 and carbapenemase genes in Enterobacter cloacae complex driven by epidemic plasmids and host incompatibility.EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS,11(1).

Xu, Tingting,et al."Frequent convergence of mcr-9 and carbapenemase genes in Enterobacter cloacae complex driven by epidemic plasmids and host incompatibility".EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS 11.1(2022).