Occurrence of Salmonella genomic island 1 (SGI1) in two African Proteus mirabilis strains isolated from diseased chicken flocks.
Two P. mirabilis strains, PmSHR21 and PmSHR38, were collected from chicken flocks in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt in 2016. The two strains showed multidrug-resistance (MDR) phenotypes and were detected to harbour I) floR and sul1 genes conferring resistance to florfenicol and chloramphenicol, and sulfonamides, respectively, II) a ~1.9 kbp class 1 integron containing aadA2-lnuF genes conferring resistance to spectinomycin and streptomycin, and lincosamides, respectively. Interestingly, the two strains were detected to contain SGI1 variant, SGI1-W and inserted between the 3' end of the chromosomal trmE gene and the hipB/hipA toxin/antitoxin homologue. Fingerprinting by ERIC-PCR of the two poultry strains identified in this study and the two human SGI1-carrying P. mirabilis strains described recently in our study showed identical ERIC-pattern between SGI1-W-carrying poultry and human strains, suggesting that they might be clonally related. The detection of SGI1 and its variants in P. mirabilis isolated from humans and chicken flocks in Egypt clarify the geographical and biological spreading through an inter-transmission pathway. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study detecting SGI1-positive P. mirabilis isolated from chicken flocks in Africa.
Detection of SGI1/PGI1 Elements and Resistance to Extended-Spectrum Cephalosporins in Proteae of Animal Origin in France
Proteae, and especially Proteus mirabilis, are often the cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in humans. They were reported as carriers of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes, and recently of carbapenemases, mostly carried by the Salmonella genomic island 1 (SGI1) and Proteus genomic island 1 (PGI1). Proteae have also lately become an increasing cause of UTIs in companion animals, but antimicrobial susceptibility data in animals are still scarce. Here, we report the characterization of 468 clinical epidemiologically unrelated Proteae strains from animals collected between 2013 and 2015 in France. Seventeen P. mirabilis strains (3.6%) were positive for SGI1/PGI1 and 18 Proteae (3.8%) were resistant to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC). The 28 isolates carrying SGI1/PGI1 and/or ESC-resistance genes were isolated from cats, dogs, and horses. ESBL genes were detected in six genetically related P. mirabilis harboring blaV EB-6 on the SGI1-V variant, but also independently of the SGI1-V, in 3 P. mirabilis strains (blaVEB-6 and blaCTX-M-15) and 1 Providencia rettgeri strain (blaCTX-M-1). The AmpC resistance genes blaCMY -2 and/or blaDHA-16 were detected in 9 P. mirabilis strains. One strain presented both an ESBL and AmpC gene. Interestingly, the majority of the ESBL/AmpC resistance genes were located on the chromosome. In conclusion, multiple ESC-resistance genetic determinants are circulating in French animals, even though SGI1-V-carrying P. mirabilis seems to be mainly responsible for the spread of the ESBL gene blaVEB-6 in dogs and horses. These results are of public health relevance and show that companion animals in close contact with humans should be regarded as a potential reservoir of ESC-resistant bacteria as well as a reservoir of ESC-resistance genes that could further disseminate to human pathogens.
Genetics of the phenotypic evolution in sheep: a molecular look at diversity-driving genes
Background After domestication, the evolution of phenotypically-varied sheep breeds has generated rich biodiversity. This wide phenotypic variation arises as a result of hidden genomic changes that range from a single nucleotide to several thousands of nucleotides. Thus, it is of interest and significance to reveal and understand the genomic changes underlying the phenotypic variation of sheep breeds in order to drive selection towards economically important traits. Review Various traits contribute to the emergence of variation in sheep phenotypic characteristics, including coat color, horns, tail, wool, ears, udder, vertebrae, among others. The genes that determine most of these phenotypic traits have been investigated, which has generated knowledge regarding the genetic determinism of several agriculturally-relevant traits in sheep. In this review, we discuss the genomic knowledge that has emerged in the past few decades regarding the phenotypic traits in sheep, and our ultimate aim is to encourage its practical application in sheep breeding. In addition, in order to expand the current understanding of the sheep genome, we shed light on research gaps that require further investigation. Conclusions Although significant research efforts have been conducted in the past few decades, several aspects of the sheep genome remain unexplored. For the full utilization of the current knowledge of the sheep genome, a wide practical application is still required in order to boost sheep productive performance and contribute to the generation of improved sheep breeds. The accumulated knowledge on the sheep genome will help advance and strengthen sheep breeding programs to face future challenges in the sector, such as climate change, global human population growth, and the increasing demand for products of animal origin.