Prevalence and characteristics of pks genotoxin gene cluster-positive clinical Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in Taiwan

Sci Rep. 2017 Feb 24:7:43120. doi: 10.1038/srep43120.

Abstract

The pks gene cluster encodes enzymes responsible for the synthesis of colibactin, a genotoxin that has been shown to induce DNA damage and contribute to increased virulence. The present study investigated the prevalence of pks in clinical K. pneumoniae isolates from a national surveillance program in Taiwan, and identified microbiological and molecular factors associated with pks-carriage. The pks gene cluster was detected in 67 (16.7%) of 400 isolates from various specimen types. Multivariate analysis revealed that isolates of K1, K2, K20, and K62 capsular types (p < 0.001), and those more susceptible to antimicrobial agents (p = 0.001) were independent factors strongly associated with pks-carriage. Phylogenetic studies on the sequence type (ST) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns indicated that the pks-positive isolates belong to a clonal group of ST23 in K1, a locally expanding ST65 clone in K2, a ST268-related K20 group, and a highly clonal ST36:K62 group. Carriage of rmpA, iutC, and ybtA, the genes associated with hypervirulence, was significantly higher in the pks-positive isolates than the pks-negative isolates (95.5% vs. 13.2%, p < 0.001). Further studies to determine the presence of hypervirulent pks-bearing bacterial populations in the flora of community residents and their association with different disease entities may be warranted.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Klebsiella Infections / epidemiology*
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / enzymology
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / genetics
  • Klebsiella pneumoniae / pathogenicity*
  • Middle Aged
  • Multigene Family*
  • Peptides / metabolism
  • Phylogeny
  • Polyketides / metabolism
  • Prevalence
  • Taiwan / epidemiology
  • Virulence / genetics
  • Virulence Factors / genetics*
  • Virulence Factors / metabolism
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Polyketides
  • Virulence Factors
  • colibactin