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Durand BARN, Yahiaoui Martinez A, Baud D, François P, Lavigne JP, Dunyach-Remy C. Comparative genomics analysis of two Helcococcus kunzii strains co-isolated with Staphylococcus aureus from diabetic foot ulcers. Genomics 2022; 114:110365. [PMID: 35413435 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Helcococcus kunzii is a commensal Gram-positive bacterial species recovered from the human skin microbiota and considered as an opportunistic pathogen. Although little is known about its clinical significance, its increased abundance has been reported in infected wounds, particularly in foot ulcers in persons with diabetes. This species is usually detected in mixed cultures from human specimens and frequently isolated with Staphylococcus aureus. Modulation of staphylococci virulence by H. kunzii has been shown in an infection model of Caenorhabditis elegans. The aim of this study was to compare the genomes of two H. kunzii strains isolated from foot ulcers -isolate H13 and H10 showing high or low impact on S. aureus virulence, respectively- and the H. kunzii ATCC51366 strain. Whole genome analyses revealed some differences between the two strains: length (2.06 Mb (H13) and 2.05 Mb (H10) bp), GC content (29.3% (H13) and 29.5% (H10)) and gene content (1,884 (H13) and 1,786 (H10) predicted genes). The core-proteome phylogenies within the genus characterised H. kunzii H13 and H10 as genetically similar to their ancestor. The main differences between the strains were mainly in sugar-associated transporters and various hypothetical proteins. Five targets were identified as potentially involved in S. aureus virulence modulation in both genomes: the two-component iron export system and three autoinducer-like proteins. Moreover, H13 strain harbours a prophage inserted in 1,261,110-1,295,549 (attL-attR), which is absent in H10 strain. The prophage PhiCD38_2 was previously reported for its ability to modulate secretion profile, reinforcing the autoinducer-like hypothesis. In the future, transcriptomics or metaproteomics approaches could be performed to better characterize the H13 strain and possibly identify the underlying mechanism for S. aureus virulence modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin A R N Durand
- Bacterial Virulence and Chronic Infections, INSERM U1047, University of Montpellier, Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University Hospital Nîmes, 30908 Nîmes, France
| | - Alex Yahiaoui Martinez
- Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University Hospital Nîmes, University of Montpellier, 30029 Nîmes, France
| | - Damien Baud
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Genomic Research Laboratory, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Patrice François
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Genomic Research Laboratory, Geneva University Hospitals, 1205 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Philippe Lavigne
- Bacterial Virulence and Chronic Infections, INSERM U1047, University of Montpellier, Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University Hospital Nîmes, 30908 Nîmes, France.
| | - Catherine Dunyach-Remy
- Bacterial Virulence and Chronic Infections, INSERM U1047, University of Montpellier, Department of Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, University Hospital Nîmes, 30908 Nîmes, France
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Mouro M, Frade J, Chaves C, Velez J. Helcococcus kunzii, a skin-colonising microorganism with pathogenic capacity: a case of polymicrobial intracranial empyema. BMJ Case Rep 2021; 14:e244600. [PMID: 34753723 PMCID: PMC8578945 DOI: 10.1136/bcr-2021-244600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Helcococcus kunzii is a Gram-positive anaerobic facultative coccus that colonises the skin. Human infection is rare, with very few cases being described in the literature. The authors present the case of a 17-year-old man, with a history of cholesteatoma, diagnosed with mastoiditis complicated by intracranial empyema. After urgent surgical drainage, Gram staining revealed a Gram-negative bacillus and a Gram-positive coccus. The latter exhibited fastidious growth, presented as small grey colonies in blood agar, and was afterwards identified as H. kunzii The patient was started on intravenous antibiotics, switched to oral route after 8 weeks and fully recovered. To the best of our knowledge, this is the third case of an intracranial infection in which H. kunzii is involved, two of them occurring in patients with cholesteatoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Mouro
- Microbiology Laboratory, Clinical Pathology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Center EPE, Coimbra, Portugal
- Infectious Diseases Department, Baixo Vouga Hospital Center EPE, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - João Frade
- Microbiology Laboratory, Clinical Pathology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Center EPE, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Catarina Chaves
- Microbiology Laboratory, Clinical Pathology Department, Coimbra Hospital and University Center EPE, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Jorge Velez
- Infectious Diseases Department, Baixo Vouga Hospital Center EPE, Aveiro, Portugal
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Guerin F, Rose S, Cattoir V, Douthwaite S. Helcococcus kunzii methyltransferase Erm(47) responsible for MLSB resistance is induced by diverse ribosome-targeting antibiotics. J Antimicrob Chemother 2020; 75:371-378. [PMID: 31670815 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkz441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine the mechanism of induction of erm(47) and its atypical expression in the Gram-positive opportunistic pathogen Helcococcus kunzii, where it confers resistance to a subset of clinically important macrolide, lincosamide and streptogramin B (MLSB) antibiotics. METHODS The resistant H. kunzii clinical isolate UCN99 was challenged with subinhibitory concentrations of a wide range of ribosome-targeting drugs. The methylation status of the H. kunzii ribosomal RNA at the MLSB binding site was then determined using an MS approach and was correlated with any increase in resistance to the drugs. RESULTS The H. kunzii erm(47) gene encodes a monomethyltransferase. Expression is induced by subinhibitory concentrations of the macrolide erythromycin, as is common for many erm genes, and surprisingly also by 16-membered macrolide, lincosamide, streptogramin, ketolide, chloramphenicol and linezolid antibiotics, all of which target the 50S ribosomal subunit. No induction was detected with spectinomycin, which targets the 30S subunit. CONCLUSIONS The structure of the erm(47) leader sequence functions as a hair trigger for the induction mechanism that expresses resistance. Consequently, translation of the erm(47) mRNA is tripped by MLSB compounds and also by drugs that target the 50S ribosomal subunit outside the MLSB site. Expression of erm(47) thus extends previous assumptions about how erm genes can be induced.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Guerin
- Service de Microbiologie, CHU de Caen, Avenue de la Côte de Nacre - CS30001 - 14033 Caen Cedex 9, France
| | - Simon Rose
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Vincent Cattoir
- Service de Bactériologie-Hygiène hospitalière & CNR de la Résistance aux Antibiotiques (laboratoire associé 'Entérocoques'), CHU de Rennes, 2 rue Henri Le Guilloux, 35033 Rennes Cedex 9, France.,Unité Inserm U1230, Université de Rennes 1, 2 avenue du Pr. Léon Bernard, 35043 Rennes, France
| | - Stephen Douthwaite
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
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Mao L, Chen Z, Lu Y, Yu J, Zhou Y, Lin Q, Luo Y, Sun Z. Helcococcus ovis in a patient with an artificial eye: a case report and literature review. BMC Infect Dis 2018; 18:401. [PMID: 30107836 PMCID: PMC6092862 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-018-3310-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Helcococcus ovis, belonging to the genus of Helcococcu in Peptostreptococcaceae, is one kind of facultative anaerobic and gram-positive cocci, which was first isolated from a mixed infection in sheep in 1999. To our knowledge, it's known as an invasive pathogen in animals, and never been reported as a human pathogen in published literature. The aims of this work are to describe the first report of H. ovis which was recovered from the artificial eye of human case and perform a literature review. CASE PRESENTATION A 26 year-old man reporting pyogenic infection with an artificial eye attended ophthalmic ward in Tongji hospital. After physical examination, clinical and laboratory investigations, the diagnosis of eye infection caused by Helcococcus ovis and Staphylococcus aureus was established. Receiving a medico-surgical approach, the patient was successfully treated. The treatment consisted in intravenous cefotaxime and ornidazole, levofloxacin eye drops during two weeks and removing of right artificial eye with debridement. CONCLUSIONS We describe here the first known case of H. ovis which was recovered from human artificial eye. This report different from previous data found in the literature emphasizes the invasive potential of this bacterial species as a pathogen in human. Prospectively, the application of next generation sequencing tools would contribute to a more accurate classification of clinical strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyan Mao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Zhongju Chen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yanfang Lu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Qun Lin
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ying Luo
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ziyong Sun
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Guérin F, Isnard C, Bucquet F, Fines-Guyon M, Giard JC, Burrus V, Cattoir V. Novel chromosome-encoded erm(47) determinant responsible for constitutive MLSB resistance in Helcococcus kunzii. J Antimicrob Chemother 2016; 71:3046-3049. [PMID: 27494920 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkw290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2016] [Revised: 06/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to identify the determinant responsible for erythromycin resistance in Helcococcus kunzii clinical isolate UCN99 and to characterize the genetic support and environment of this novel gene. METHODS MICs were determined using the broth microdilution method according to EUCAST guidelines. The entire genome sequence of H. kunzii UCN99 was determined using a 454/Roche GS Junior sequencer. The fragment encompassing the new resistance gene and its own promoter was cloned into the pAT29 shuttle vector and the recombinant plasmid pAT29Ωerm(47) was expressed in both Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus agalactiae. The transcription start site (TSS) was experimentally determined by 5' RACE-PCR. RESULTS UCN99 exhibited a constitutive macrolide/lincosamide/streptogramin B (MLSB) resistance phenotype, suggesting the presence of an Erm protein. WGS allowed the identification of a novel gene, named erm(47), encoding a protein sharing 44%-48% amino acid identity with known Erm methylases. In both S. aureus and S. agalactiae, the introduction of pAT29Ωerm(47) conferred a significant increase (≥16-fold) in MICs of all macrolides and lincosamides tested, as well as a 4-fold increase in MICs of quinupristin (streptogramin B), confirming the MLSB resistance. The TSS identification revealed the presence of a short leader peptide, potentially implicated in a translational attenuation mechanism. It was also demonstrated that erm(47) was harboured by a 81 kb genomic island integrated into a chromosomal gene. CONCLUSIONS This is the first description of a novel MLSB resistance determinant, named erm(47). The prevalence of this gene among Gram-positive cocci must be further investigated to determine its clinical significance.
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Affiliation(s)
- François Guérin
- Université de Caen Normandie, EA4655 U2RM (équipe 'Antibio-résistance'), Caen, France.,CHU de Caen, Service de Microbiologie, Caen, France.,CNR de la Résistance aux Antibiotiques (laboratoire associé 'Entérocoques'), Caen, France
| | - Christophe Isnard
- Université de Caen Normandie, EA4655 U2RM (équipe 'Antibio-résistance'), Caen, France.,CHU de Caen, Service de Microbiologie, Caen, France
| | - Fiona Bucquet
- Université de Caen Normandie, EA4655 U2RM (équipe 'Antibio-résistance'), Caen, France
| | - Marguerite Fines-Guyon
- CHU de Caen, Service de Microbiologie, Caen, France.,CNR de la Résistance aux Antibiotiques (laboratoire associé 'Entérocoques'), Caen, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Giard
- Université de Caen Normandie, EA4655 U2RM (équipe 'Antibio-résistance'), Caen, France
| | - Vincent Burrus
- Université Sherbrooke, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Vincent Cattoir
- Université de Caen Normandie, EA4655 U2RM (équipe 'Antibio-résistance'), Caen, France .,CHU de Caen, Service de Microbiologie, Caen, France.,CNR de la Résistance aux Antibiotiques (laboratoire associé 'Entérocoques'), Caen, France
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