Complete nucleotide sequences of plasmids pEK204, pEK499, and pEK516, encoding CTX-M enzymes in three major Escherichia coli lineages from the United Kingdom, all belonging to the international O25:H4-ST131 clone

We determined the complete nucleotide sequences of three plasmids that encode CTX-M extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) in pulsed-field gel electrophoresis-defined United Kingdom variants (strains A, C, and D) of the internationally prevalent Escherichia coli O25:H4-ST131 clone. Plasmid pEK499 (strain A; 117,536 bp) was a fusion of type FII and FIA replicons and harbored the following 10 antibiotic resistance genes conferring resistance to eight antibiotic classes: blaCTX-M-15, blaOXA-1, bla TEM-1, aac6′-Ib-cr, mph(A), catB4, tet(A), and the integron-borne dfrA7, aadA5, and sulI genes. pEK516 (strain D; 64,471 bp) belonged to incompatibility group IncFII and carried seven antibiotic resistance genes: blaCTX-M-15, blaOXA-1, blaTEM-1, aac6′-Ib-cr, catB4, and tet(A), all as in pEK499. It also carried aac3-IIa, conferring gentamicin resistance, and was highly related to pC15-1a, a plasmid encoding the CTX-M-15 enzyme in Canada. By contrast, pEK204 (strain C; 93,732 bp) belonged to incompatibility group IncI1 and carried only two resistance genes, blaCTX-M-3 and blaTEM-1. It probably arose by the transposition of Tn3 and ISEcp1-blaCTX-M-3 elements into a pCOLIb-P9-like plasmid. We conclude that (i) United Kingdom variants of the successful E. coli ST131 clone have acquired different plasmids encoding CTX-M ESBLs on separate occasions, (ii) the blaCTX-M-3 and bla CTX-M-15 genes on pEK204 and pEK499/pEK516 represent separate escape events, and (iii) IncFII plasmids harboring blaCTX-M-15 have played a crucial role in the global spread of CTX-M-15 ESBLs in E. coli. Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.