Systematic Analysis of Mobile Genetic Elements Mediating β-lactamase Gene Amplification in Non-Carbapenemase-Producing Carbapenem Resistant Enterobacterales Bloodstream Infections
Authors: Shropshire WC , Konovalova A , McDaneld P , Gohel M , Strope B , Sahasrabhojane P , Tran CN , Greenberg D , Kim J , Zhan X , Aitken S , Bhatti M , Savidge TC , Treangen TJ , Hanson BM , Arias CA , Shelburne SA 
Published: May 2022

Non-carbapenemase-producing carbapenem resistant Enterobacterales (non-CP-CRE) are increasingly recognized as important contributors to prevalent carbapenem resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections. However, there is limited understanding of mechanisms underlying non-CP-CRE causing invasive disease. Long- and short-read whole genome sequencing (WGS) was used to elucidate carbapenem non-susceptibility determinants in Enterobacterales bloodstream isolates at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. We investigated carbapenem non-susceptible Enterobacterales (CNSE) mechanisms through a combination of phylogenetic analysis, antimicrobial resistant (AMR) gene detection/copy number quantification, porin assessment, and mobile genetic element (MGE) characterization. Most CNSE isolates sequenced were non-CP-CRE (41/79; 51.9%) whereas 25.3% (20/79) were carbapenem intermediate Enterobacterales (CIE) and 22.8% (18/79) were carbapenemase producing Enterobacterales (CPE). Statistically significant copy number variants (CNVs) of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes (Wilcoxon Test; p-value < 0.001) were present in both non-CP-CR E. coli (median CNV = 2.6X; n= 17) and K. pneumoniae (median CNV = 3.2X, n = 17). All non-CP-CR E. coli and K. pneumoniae had predicted reduced expression of at least one outer membrane porin gene (i.e., ompC/ompF or ompK36/ompK35). Completely resolved CNSE genomes revealed that IS26 and ISEcp1 structures harboring blaCTX-M variants along with other AMR elements were the primary drivers of gene amplification, occurring in mostly IncFIB/IncFII plasmid contexts. MGE mediated β-lactamase gene amplifications resulted in either tandem arrays, primarily mediated by IS26 ‘translocatable units’, or segmental duplication, typically due to ISEcp1 ‘transposition units’. Non-CP-CRE strains were the most prevalent cause of CRE bacteremia with carbapenem non-susceptibility driven by concurrent porin loss and MGE-mediated amplification of blaCTX-M genes.

IMPORTANCE

Carbapenem resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are considered urgent antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threats. The vast majority of CRE research has focused on carbapenemase producing Enterobacterales (CPE) even though non-carbapenemase-producing CRE (non-CP-CRE) comprise 50% or more of isolates in some surveillance studies. Thus, carbapenem resistance mechanisms in non-CP-CRE remain poorly characterized. To address this problem, we applied a combination of short- and long-read sequencing technologies to a cohort of CRE bacteremia isolates and used these data to unravel complex mobile genetic element structures mediating β- lactamase gene amplification. By generating complete genomes of 65 carbapenem non-susceptible Enterobacterales (CNSE) covering a genetically diverse array of isolates, our findings both generate novel insights into how non-CP-CRE overcome carbapenem treatments and provide researchers scaffolds for characterization of their own non-CP-CRE isolates. Improved recognition of mechanisms driving development of non-CP-CRE could assist with design and implementation of future strategies to mitigate the impact of these increasingly recognized AMR pathogens.