Essential Gene Clusters Involved in Copper Tolerance Identified in <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> Clinical and Environmental Isolates
Copper is widely used as antimicrobial in agriculture and medicine. Copper tolerance mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria have been proven to be required for both copper tolerance and survival during bacterial infections. Here, we determined both copper-tolerant phenotype and genotype in <i>A. ba...
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MDPI AG
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Pathogens |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/9/1/60 |
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| author | Rapee Thummeepak Renuka Pooalai Christian Harrison Lucy Gannon Aunchalee Thanwisai Narisara Chantratita Andrew D. Millard Sutthirat Sitthisak |
| author_facet | Rapee Thummeepak Renuka Pooalai Christian Harrison Lucy Gannon Aunchalee Thanwisai Narisara Chantratita Andrew D. Millard Sutthirat Sitthisak |
| author_sort | Rapee Thummeepak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Copper is widely used as antimicrobial in agriculture and medicine. Copper tolerance mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria have been proven to be required for both copper tolerance and survival during bacterial infections. Here, we determined both copper-tolerant phenotype and genotype in <i>A. baumannii</i> originated from clinical and environmental samples. Using copper susceptibility testing, copper-tolerant <i>A. baumannii</i> could be found in both clinical and environmental isolates. Genotypic study revealed that representative copper-related genes of the cluster A (<i>cueR</i>), B (<i>pcoAB</i>), and D (<i>oprC</i>) were detected in all isolates, while <i>copRS</i> of cluster C was detected in only copper-tolerant <i>A. baumannii</i> isolates. Moreover, we found that copper-tolerant phenotype was associated with amikacin resistance, while the presence of <i>copRS</i> was statistically associated with <i>bla</i><sub>NDM-1</sub>. We chose the <i>A. baumannii</i> strain AB003 as a representative of copper-tolerant isolate to characterize the effect of copper treatment on external morphology as well as on genes responsible for copper tolerance. The morphological features and survival of <i>A. baumannii</i> AB003 were affected by its exposure to copper, while whole-genome sequencing and analysis showed that it carried fourteen copper-related genes located on four clusters, and cluster C of AB003 was found to be embedded on genomic island G08. Transcriptional analysis of fourteen copper-related genes identified in AB003 revealed that copper treatment induced the expressions of genes of clusters A, B, and D at the micromolar level, while genes of cluster C were over-expressed at the millimolar levels of copper. This study showed that both clinical and environmental <i>A. baumannii</i> isolates have the ability to tolerate copper and carried numerous copper tolerance determinants including intrinsic copper tolerance (clusters A, B, and D) and acquired copper tolerance (cluster C) that could respond to copper toxicity. Our evidence suggests that we need to reconsider the use of copper in hospitals and other medical environments to prevent the selection and spread of copper-tolerant organisms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:06:35Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-a26453c9266547f6bfffbb304ed329692022-12-22T04:28:16ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172020-01-01916010.3390/pathogens9010060pathogens9010060Essential Gene Clusters Involved in Copper Tolerance Identified in <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> Clinical and Environmental IsolatesRapee Thummeepak0Renuka Pooalai1Christian Harrison2Lucy Gannon3Aunchalee Thanwisai4Narisara Chantratita5Andrew D. Millard6Sutthirat Sitthisak7Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, ThailandDepartment of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, ThailandDepartment of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UKDepartment of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UKDepartment of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, ThailandDepartment of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, ThailandDepartment of Genetics and Genome Biology, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH, UKDepartment of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Science, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok 65000, ThailandCopper is widely used as antimicrobial in agriculture and medicine. Copper tolerance mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria have been proven to be required for both copper tolerance and survival during bacterial infections. Here, we determined both copper-tolerant phenotype and genotype in <i>A. baumannii</i> originated from clinical and environmental samples. Using copper susceptibility testing, copper-tolerant <i>A. baumannii</i> could be found in both clinical and environmental isolates. Genotypic study revealed that representative copper-related genes of the cluster A (<i>cueR</i>), B (<i>pcoAB</i>), and D (<i>oprC</i>) were detected in all isolates, while <i>copRS</i> of cluster C was detected in only copper-tolerant <i>A. baumannii</i> isolates. Moreover, we found that copper-tolerant phenotype was associated with amikacin resistance, while the presence of <i>copRS</i> was statistically associated with <i>bla</i><sub>NDM-1</sub>. We chose the <i>A. baumannii</i> strain AB003 as a representative of copper-tolerant isolate to characterize the effect of copper treatment on external morphology as well as on genes responsible for copper tolerance. The morphological features and survival of <i>A. baumannii</i> AB003 were affected by its exposure to copper, while whole-genome sequencing and analysis showed that it carried fourteen copper-related genes located on four clusters, and cluster C of AB003 was found to be embedded on genomic island G08. Transcriptional analysis of fourteen copper-related genes identified in AB003 revealed that copper treatment induced the expressions of genes of clusters A, B, and D at the micromolar level, while genes of cluster C were over-expressed at the millimolar levels of copper. This study showed that both clinical and environmental <i>A. baumannii</i> isolates have the ability to tolerate copper and carried numerous copper tolerance determinants including intrinsic copper tolerance (clusters A, B, and D) and acquired copper tolerance (cluster C) that could respond to copper toxicity. Our evidence suggests that we need to reconsider the use of copper in hospitals and other medical environments to prevent the selection and spread of copper-tolerant organisms.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/9/1/60<i>acinetobacter baumannii</i>copper susceptibilitycopper-related geneswhole-genome sequence analysisgene expression |
| spellingShingle | Rapee Thummeepak Renuka Pooalai Christian Harrison Lucy Gannon Aunchalee Thanwisai Narisara Chantratita Andrew D. Millard Sutthirat Sitthisak Essential Gene Clusters Involved in Copper Tolerance Identified in <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> Clinical and Environmental Isolates Pathogens <i>acinetobacter baumannii</i> copper susceptibility copper-related genes whole-genome sequence analysis gene expression |
| title | Essential Gene Clusters Involved in Copper Tolerance Identified in <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> Clinical and Environmental Isolates |
| title_full | Essential Gene Clusters Involved in Copper Tolerance Identified in <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> Clinical and Environmental Isolates |
| title_fullStr | Essential Gene Clusters Involved in Copper Tolerance Identified in <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> Clinical and Environmental Isolates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Essential Gene Clusters Involved in Copper Tolerance Identified in <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> Clinical and Environmental Isolates |
| title_short | Essential Gene Clusters Involved in Copper Tolerance Identified in <i>Acinetobacter baumannii</i> Clinical and Environmental Isolates |
| title_sort | essential gene clusters involved in copper tolerance identified in i acinetobacter baumannii i clinical and environmental isolates |
| topic | <i>acinetobacter baumannii</i> copper susceptibility copper-related genes whole-genome sequence analysis gene expression |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/9/1/60 |
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