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Acinetobacter variabilis represents a diverse species with novel regions associated with antibiotic resistance and surface polysaccharides

delete2026-02-01
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PRE
AI
L
Lucy L. Patterson
E
Eva Hatje
M
Mohammad Katouli
J
Johanna J. Kenyon
M
Mehrad Hamidian *
DOI:10.1099/mgen.0.001643delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
Acinetobacter variabilis is an opportunistic pathogen found in both clinical and environmental settings with the potential to harbour and disseminate clinically significant antibiotic resistance genes. Here, we sequenced the complete genome of NGHQLD-N1, an A. variabilis isolate recovered from a blood sample of a patient at Nambour General Hospital located on the Sunshine Coast region of Queensland, Australia. The assembly was used as a reference to assess the diversity in available A. variabilis genome sequences and investigate the genomic context of surface polysaccharide biosynthesis genes and antibiotic resistance determinants in relation to the priority pathogen, Acinetobacter baumannii. Phylogenetic analysis revealed substantial diversity in the species, with a distinct NGH- QLD- N1 subclade containing multiple strains with important resistance determinants. We identified a novel transposon related to the Tn6022 family, designated Tn6929, that interrupted comM and identified multiple structural variants in A. variabilis genomes. Notably, some variants carried blaNDM and aphA6 in ISAba14- bounded regions, suggesting acquisition from diverse bacterial hosts. We also identified several integrative conjugative elements (ICEs) variants integrated into the chromosomal thyA gene, which differed in backbone structure and resistance gene content from our previously described A. baumannii ICE. The capsule and outer core loci for surface carbohydrate structures also had similar arrangements to those found in A. baumannii. This study provides a new understanding of the diversity of mobile genetic elements and ICEs carrying resistance genes, and surface polysaccharides associated with virulence, across the Acinetobacter genus.
Keywords:
Acinetobacter variabilis
antibiotic resistance
blaNDM
blaOXA-23
plasmid

Journal

Microbial Genomics cover
Microbial Genomics
IF:
4
Papers:
1.4K
Citations:
5.6K

Organization

G
griffith university
Scholars:
1.6K
Papers: 839
Citations: 0
U
university of the sunshine coast
Scholars:
585
Papers: 295
Citations: 0
U
university of technology sydney
Scholars:
1.6W
Papers: 2.0W
Citations: 25
Q
queensland university of technology (qut)
Scholars:
573
Papers: 263
Citations: 0
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