The first report of the blaIMP-10 gene and complete sequence of the IMP-10-encoding plasmid p12NE515 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa in China.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a detailed genomic characterization of the blaIMP-10-carrying plasmid p12NE515 from a Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolate in China. METHODS: Plasmid p12NE515 was subjected to whole-genome sequencing and the complete sequence was compared with related plasmid sequences. Transferability of plasmid, carbapenemase activity and bacterial susceptibility profiles were determined to assess p12NE515-mediated resistance phenotypes. RESULTS: P. aeruginosa 12NE515 was identified as a less common sequence type of ST1976. p12NE515 harboring blaIMP-10 possessed a backbone identical to plasmid p60512-IMP (carrying blaIMP-1), but the accessory resistance regions differed. Only one accessory module, Tn7339, was carried in p12NE515, and this transposon was an insertion sequence-mediated transposition unit generated by the insertion of a novel class 1 integron, In1814, at the downstream end of ISPa17. Here, blaIMP-10 together with aacA7 was located in In1814, being at evolution stage III of Tn402-associated integron due to truncation of the tni module. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to determine the complete sequence of a blaIMP-10-carrying plasmid, and this is also the first report of a blaIMP-10-producing strain in China. The prevalence of the blaIMP-10 gene and the genetic characterization of the blaIMP-10-carrying plasmid should be analyzed to provide deeper insight into the transmission mechanism of antimicrobial resistance genes.