Mais Maree , Yuri Ushijima , Pedro B. Fernandes , Masato Higashide , Kazuya Morikawa
{"title":"SCCmec transformation requires living donor cells in mixed biofilms","authors":"Mais Maree , Yuri Ushijima , Pedro B. Fernandes , Masato Higashide , Kazuya Morikawa","doi":"10.1016/j.bioflm.2024.100184","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Methicillin-resistant <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em> (MRSA) is an important human pathogen that has emerged through the horizontal acquisition of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome <em>mec</em> (SCC<em>mec</em>). Previously, we showed that SCC<em>mec</em> from heat-killed donors can be transferred via natural transformation in biofilms at frequencies of 10<sup>−8</sup>-10<sup>−7</sup>. Here, we show an improved transformation assay of SCC<em>mec</em> with frequencies up to 10<sup>−2</sup> using co-cultured biofilms with living donor cells. The Ccr-<em>attB</em> system played an important role in SCC<em>mec</em> transfer, and the deletion of <em>ccrAB</em> recombinase genes reduced the frequency ∼30-fold. SCC<em>mec</em> could be transferred from either MRSA or methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci to some methicillin-sensitive <em>S. aureus</em> recipients. In addition, the transformation of other plasmid or chromosomal genes is enhanced by using living donor cells. This study emphasizes the role of natural transformation as an evolutionary ability of <em>S. aureus</em> and in MRSA emergence.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":55844,"journal":{"name":"Biofilm","volume":"7 ","pages":"Article 100184"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9000,"publicationDate":"2024-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590207524000091/pdfft?md5=6ab403cc3347bb7ec8e3d4d025fc14c6&pid=1-s2.0-S2590207524000091-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Biofilm","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590207524000091","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MICROBIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an important human pathogen that has emerged through the horizontal acquisition of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). Previously, we showed that SCCmec from heat-killed donors can be transferred via natural transformation in biofilms at frequencies of 10−8-10−7. Here, we show an improved transformation assay of SCCmec with frequencies up to 10−2 using co-cultured biofilms with living donor cells. The Ccr-attB system played an important role in SCCmec transfer, and the deletion of ccrAB recombinase genes reduced the frequency ∼30-fold. SCCmec could be transferred from either MRSA or methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci to some methicillin-sensitive S. aureus recipients. In addition, the transformation of other plasmid or chromosomal genes is enhanced by using living donor cells. This study emphasizes the role of natural transformation as an evolutionary ability of S. aureus and in MRSA emergence.