Emergence of mobile tigecycline resistance gene tet(X4)-harbouring Shewanella xiamenensis in a water environment

Abstract

Tigecycline resistance mediated by the mobile tigecycline-inactivating enzyme gene tet(X) in Gram-negative bacteria is an emerging concern for global public health. However, limited information is available on the distribution of tet(X) in the natural environment. In this study, we investigated the presence of tet(X) in environmental Gram-negative bacteria. A carbapenem- and tigecycline-resistant Shewanella xiamenensis isolate (NUITM-VS1) was obtained from an urban drainage in Hanoi, Vietnam, in March 2021. Whole-genome sequencing analysis was performed by long- and short-read sequencing, resulting in a complete genome sequence. Antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in the genome were detected based on the custom ARG database, including all known tigecycline resistance genes. Shewanella xiamenensis isolate NUITM-VS1 harboured the tet(X4) gene and the blaOXA-48 carbapenemase gene on the chromosome. tet(X4) was flanked by IS91 family transposase genes, suggesting that the acquisition of tet(X4) was mediated by this mobile gene element (MGE), whereas no MGE was found surrounding blaOXA-48, consistent with previous findings that blaOXA-48-like β-lactamase genes are species-specific intrinsic ARGs in Shewanella spp. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a tet(X4)-harbouring Shewanella sp. isolate. Our results provide genetic evidence of the complexity of the dynamics of clinically important ARGs among bacteria in the water environment.