Complete Nucleotide Sequence of CTX-M-15-Plasmids from Clinical Escherichia coli Isolates: Insertional Events of Transposons and Insertion Sequences

Background CTX-M-producing Escherichia coli strains are regarded as major global pathogens. Methodology/Principal Findings The nucleotide sequence of three plasmids (pEC_B24: 73801-bp; pEC_L8: 118525-bp and pEC_L46: 144871-bp) from Escherichia coli isolates obtained from patients with urinary tract infections and one plasmid (pEC_Bactec: 92970-bp) from an Escherichia coli strain isolated from the joint of a horse with arthritis were determined. Plasmid pEC_Bactec belongs to the IncI1 group and carries two resistance genes: bla TEM-1 and bla CTX-M-15 . It shares more than 90% homology with a previously published bla CTX-M -plasmid from E. coli of human origin. Plasmid pEC_B24 belongs to the IncFII group whereas plasmids pEC_L8 and pEC_L46 represent a fusion of two replicons of type FII and FIA. On the pEC_B24 backbone, two resistance genes, bla TEM-1 and bla CTX-M-15 , were found. Six resistance genes, bla TEM-1 , bla CTX-M-15 , bla OXA-1 , aac6'-lb-cr , tetA and catB4 , were detected on the pEC_L8 backbone. The same antimicrobial drug resistance genes, with the exception of tetA , were also identified on the pEC_L46 backbone. Genome analysis of all 4 plasmids studied provides evidence of a seemingly frequent transposition event of the bla CTX-M-15 -IS Ecp1 element. This element seems to have a preferred insertion site at the tnpA gene of a bla TEM -carrying Tn 3 -like transposon, the latter itself being inserted by a transposition event. The IS 26 -composite transposon, which contains the bla OXA-1 , aac6'-lb-cr and catB4 genes, was inserted into plasmids pEC_L8 and pEC_L46 by homologous recombination rather than a transposition event. Results obtained for pEC_L46 indicated that IS 26 also plays an important role in structural rearrangements of the plasmid backbone and seems to facilitate the mobilisation of fragments from other plasmids. Conclusions Collectively, these data suggests that IS 26 together with IS Ecp1 could play a critical role in the evolution of diverse multiresistant plasmids found in clinical Enterobacteriaceae .