Open AccessMolecular heterogeneity of bla VIM‐2 ‐containing integrons from Pseudomonas aeruginosa plasmids encoding the VIM‐2 metallo‐β‐lactamase
Author(s) -
Pallecchi Lucia,
Riccio Maria Letizia,
Docquier JeanDenis,
Fontana Roberta,
Rossolini Gian Maria
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2001.tb10512.x
Subject(s) - integron , plasmid , pseudomonas aeruginosa , biology , integrase , microbiology and biotechnology , gene , gene cassette , genetics , bacteria
A bla VIM‐2 metallo‐β‐lactamase determinant, identical to that previously identified in Pseudomonas aeruginosa COL‐1 isolate from a French hospital, was detected on a 28‐kb plasmid carried by a nosocomial isolate of P. aeruginosa from Verona, Italy. In this plasmid the bla VIM‐2 determinant was inserted into a class 1 integron of original structure, named In72, that contains a partially deleted intI1 integrase gene and two gene cassettes. The first cassette carries an aacA4 aminoglycoside acetyl transferase determinant. The second cassette carries a bla VIM‐2 determinant followed by a partially deleted attC site. The structure of In72 was notably different from that of In56, the bla VIM‐2 ‐containing integron found in the COL‐1 isolate, revealing the existence of molecular heterogeneity among bla VIM‐2 ‐containing integrons in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa from Europe.