Genetic Background and Expression of the New qepA4 Gene Variant Recovered in Clinical TEM-1- and CMY-2-Producing Escherichia coli.

• Author(s): Manageiro, V ; Félix, D ; Jones-Dias, D ; Sampaio, D ; Vieira, L ; Sancho, L ; Ferreira, E ; Caniça, M
• Date: 2017
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/10400.10/1996
• Origin: Repositório do Hospital Prof. Doutor Fernando Fonseca
• Subject(s): Escherichia coli; QepA4 gene variant
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English
• Contributor(s): Unidade Local de Saúde Amadora / Sintra

Description

A new QepA4 variant was detected in an O86:H28 ST156-fimH38 Escherichia coli, showing a multidrug-resistance phenotype. PAβN inhibition of qepA4-harboring transconjugant resulted in increase of nalidixic acid accumulation. The qepA4 and catA1 genes were clustered in a 26.0-kp contig matching an IncF-type plasmid, and containing a Tn21-type transposon with multiple mobile genetic elements. This QepA variant is worrisome because these determinants might facilitate the selection of higher-level resistance mutants, playing a role in the development of resistance, and/or confer higher-level resistance to fluoroquinolones in association with chromosomal mutations.