Outer membrane vesicles mediating horizontal transfer of the epidemic blaOXA-232 carbapenemase gene among Enterobacterales

Zhen Shen; Juanxiu Qin; Guoxiu Xiang; Tianchi Chen; Nadira Nurxat; Qianqian Gao; Chen Wang; Haomin Zhang; Yao Liu; Min Li

doi:10.1080/22221751.2023.2290840

Emerging Microbes and Infections (Dec 2024)

Outer membrane vesicles mediating horizontal transfer of the epidemic blaOXA-232 carbapenemase gene among Enterobacterales

Zhen Shen,
Juanxiu Qin,
Guoxiu Xiang,
Tianchi Chen,
Nadira Nurxat,
Qianqian Gao,
Chen Wang,
Haomin Zhang,
Yao Liu,
Min Li

Affiliations

Zhen Shen: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Juanxiu Qin: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Guoxiu Xiang: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Tianchi Chen: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Nadira Nurxat: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Qianqian Gao: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Chen Wang: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Haomin Zhang: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Yao Liu: Pathogen Molecular Genetics Section, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
Min Li: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/22221751.2023.2290840
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 1

Abstract

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OXA-232 is one of the most common OXA-48-like carbapenemase derivatives and is widely disseminated in nosocomial settings across countries. The blaOXA-232 gene is located on a 6-kb non-conjugative ColKP3-type plasmid, while the dissemination of blaOXA-232 into different Enterobacterales species and the polyclonal dissemination of OXA-232-producing K. pneumoniae revealed the horizontal transfer of blaOXA-232. However, it’s still unclear how this non-conjugative ColKP3 plasmid could facilitate the mobilization of blaOXA-232. Here, we observed the in vivo intraspecies transfer of blaOXA-232 during a nosocomial outbreak of OXA-232-producing K. pneumoniae. We demonstrated the presence of ColKP3 OXA-232 plasmid in the outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) derived from clinical isolates, and OMVs could facilitate the horizontal transfer of blaOXA-232 among Enterobacterales. In contrast, for the most prevalent carbapenemase genes, including blaKPC-2 and blaNDM-1, though the presence of carbapenemase genes and plasmid backbones in the vesicular lumen was observed, OMVs couldn’t promote effective transformation, probably due to the low copy number of plasmids in clinical isolates and the low number of plasmids loaded into vesicles. Conjugation assay revealed that the epidemic IncX3 NDM-1 and IncFII(pHN7A8)/IncR KPC-2 plasmids were conjugative and could be horizontally transferred via independent conjugation or with the help of a co-existent conjugative plasmid. For the large-size and low-copy number conjugative plasmids carrying carbapenemase genes, OMVs-mediated gene exchange may only serve as an alternative pathway for horizontal transfer. In conclusion, diverse mobilization strategies were employed by plasmids harbouring carbapenemase genes, and plasmids display a proper choice of mobility pathway due to their individual properties.

Published in Emerging Microbes and Infections

ISSN: 2222-1751 (Online)
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases; Science: Microbiology
Website: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/temi

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