Characterization of the plasmids harbouring the florfenicol resistance gene floR in Glaesserella parasuis and Actinobacillus indolicus

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to characterize the floR-carrying plasmids originating from Glaesserella parasuis and Actinobacillus indolicus isolated from pigs with respiratory disease in China.

Methods: A total of 125 G. parasuis and 28 A. indolicus strains collected between 2009 and 2022 were screened for florfenicol resistance. Characterization of floR-positive isolates and plasmids were determined by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, serotyping, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), conjugation and transformation assays, whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and phylogenetic analysis.

Results: One A. indolicus and six G. parasuis were identified as positive for floR. The six G. parasuis were assigned to four different serovars, including serovars 6, 7, 9, and unknown. In addition to strain XP11, six floR genes were located on plasmids. The six floR-bearing plasmids could be transformed into Pasteurella multocida and divided into two different types, including ∼5000 bp and ∼6000 bp plasmids. The ∼5000 bp plasmids consisting of rep, lysR, mobB, and floR genes, exhibited high similarity among Pasteurellaceae bacteria. Furthermore, the ∼6000 bp plasmids, consisting of rep, lysR, mobC, mobA/L, and floR genes, showed high similarity between G. parasuis and Actinobacillus Spp. Notably, WGS results showed that the floR modules of the two types of plasmids could be transferred and integrated into the diverse Pasteurellaceae- origined plasmids.

Conclusion: This study firstly reported the characterization of floR-carrying plasmids from A. indolicus and a non-virulent serovar of G. parasuis in pigs in China and elucidated the transmission mechanism of the floR resistance gene among the Pasteurellaceae family.

Keywords: Florfenicol; Glaesserella parasuis; Pasteurellaceae family; Small plasmid; Swine; floR.