Association between the CRISPR-associated cas genes and beta-lactamase genes (blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M) in uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Microbiology, North Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Biology, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran

3 Department of genetics, Faculty of advanced sciences and technology, Islamic Azad University, Tehran medical sciences branch, Tehran, Iran

10.22124/cjes.2023.6185

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to assess the prevalence of cas genes (cas 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7) in UPEC isolates, as well as the connection between CRISPR-associated cas genes and beta-lactamase genes (blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M). The Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion technique was used to assess the susceptibility of isolates to targeted antibiotics. For isolates that were resistant to at least one of the third-generation of cephalosporins in the antibiotic susceptibility test, the combined disk test was conducted. The blaTEM, blaSHV, blaCTX-M, and cas genes (cas 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7) were identified molecularly using the polymerase chain reaction technique. A total of 106 uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates were identified from 437 positive urine culture samples. Overall, 64.1 % of isolates harbored blaTEM genes. Nevertheless, 46.2 % and 35.9 % of isolates, respectively, carried blaSHV and blaCTX-M. The cas 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 genes were detected in 96.2 %, 48.1 %, 60.4 %, 65.1%, and 50% of isolates, respectively. We discovered a statistically significant association between the presence of cas2 and the presence of blaSHV (p-value = 0.01) and blaTEM (p-value = 0.02) viruses. We observed a statistically significant association between the presence of at least three cas genes and the presence of blaSHV (p-value = 0.001) gene. At the end, we detected a statistically significance between simultaneous presence of at least five cas genes and simultaneous presence of beta-lactamase genes (blaTEM, blaSHV and blaCTX-M; Pv: 0.01).  In general, there is an inverse relationship between the presence of cas2 gene and the presence of blaSHV (Pv: 0.01) and (Pv: 0.02) blaTEM and also between the presence of blaSHV gene alone and the simultaneous presence of blaSHV and blaTEM genes with the simultaneous presence of at least three cas genes in UPEC strains. In general, there is an inverse relationship between the presence of cas2 gene and the presence of blaSHV (Pv: 0.01) and (Pv: 0.02) blaTEM and also between the presence of blaSHV gene alone and the simultaneous presence of blaSHV and blaTEM genes with the simultaneous presence of at least three cas genes in UPEC strains.In general, an inverse relationship between genes cas2 and the blaSHV (Pv: 0.01) and (Pv: 0.02) blaTEM as well as the presence of blaSHV alone and the simultaneous presence of genes blaSHV and blaTEM with the simultaneous presence of at least three genes cas strains UPECIn general, an inverse relationship between genes cas2 and the blaSHV (Pv: 0.01) and (Pv: 0.02) blaTEM as well as the presence of blaSHV alone and the simultaneous presence of genes blaSHV and blaTEM with the simultaneous presence of at least three genes cas strains UPEC. The results of this study indicated that the presence of cas genes linked with the CRISPR system may help lower the presence of beta-lactamase genes (blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M) in UPEC isolates.

Keywords


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