Whole-genome recombination and dynamic accessory genomes drive the phenotypic diversity of Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies
Abstract Background Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is a multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogen capable of causing widespread infections, often with a poor prognosis in susceptible populations. Mab comprises three distinct subspecies that exhibit phenotypic diversity and genetic heterogeneity. Methods...
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BMC
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12941-025-00804-9 |
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| author | Yu Chen Rong Bao Na Li Tingting Fang Xiaoyu Yin Le Qin Bijie Hu Qing Miao |
| author_facet | Yu Chen Rong Bao Na Li Tingting Fang Xiaoyu Yin Le Qin Bijie Hu Qing Miao |
| author_sort | Yu Chen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is a multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogen capable of causing widespread infections, often with a poor prognosis in susceptible populations. Mab comprises three distinct subspecies that exhibit phenotypic diversity and genetic heterogeneity. Methods We performed whole-genome sequencing and phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing on 109 Mab isolates collected at zhongshan hospital from 2018 to 2023. Results The results indicate that recombination, especially distributed conjugation transfer, promotes the formation and sustained diversity of Mab subspecies. Through pangenome analysis, the synergistic gain/loss of accessory genes was found to contribute to different metabolic profiles and the ability to adapt to oxidative stress, facilitating strain adaptation to host environments. We conducted phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing, revealing resistance to macrolide antibiotics differed among subspecies. We identified 24 genes whose gain or loss may increase the likelihood of macrolide resistance, including those involved in biofilm formation, the stress response, virulence, biotin synthesis, and fatty acid metabolism. Genomic variations within Mab species may have significant implications for disease epidemiology, infection pathogenesis, and host interactions. Conclusions Our findings provide a valuable genetic basis for the success of Mab as a highly adaptive and drug-resistant pathogen, informing current efforts to control and treat Mab infections, including strategies targeting specific sequence types or lineages. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-15a449e4e10d4b9e91561b80324d1424 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1476-0711 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials |
| spelling | doaj-art-15a449e4e10d4b9e91561b80324d14242025-08-20T03:42:40ZengBMCAnnals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials1476-07112025-07-0124111610.1186/s12941-025-00804-9Whole-genome recombination and dynamic accessory genomes drive the phenotypic diversity of Mycobacterium abscessus subspeciesYu Chen0Rong Bao1Na Li2Tingting Fang3Xiaoyu Yin4Le Qin5Bijie Hu6Qing Miao7Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityShanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityDepartment of Infectious Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan UniversityAbstract Background Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab) is a multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogen capable of causing widespread infections, often with a poor prognosis in susceptible populations. Mab comprises three distinct subspecies that exhibit phenotypic diversity and genetic heterogeneity. Methods We performed whole-genome sequencing and phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing on 109 Mab isolates collected at zhongshan hospital from 2018 to 2023. Results The results indicate that recombination, especially distributed conjugation transfer, promotes the formation and sustained diversity of Mab subspecies. Through pangenome analysis, the synergistic gain/loss of accessory genes was found to contribute to different metabolic profiles and the ability to adapt to oxidative stress, facilitating strain adaptation to host environments. We conducted phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing, revealing resistance to macrolide antibiotics differed among subspecies. We identified 24 genes whose gain or loss may increase the likelihood of macrolide resistance, including those involved in biofilm formation, the stress response, virulence, biotin synthesis, and fatty acid metabolism. Genomic variations within Mab species may have significant implications for disease epidemiology, infection pathogenesis, and host interactions. Conclusions Our findings provide a valuable genetic basis for the success of Mab as a highly adaptive and drug-resistant pathogen, informing current efforts to control and treat Mab infections, including strategies targeting specific sequence types or lineages.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12941-025-00804-9Mycobacterium abscessusRecombinationPangenomeAntimicrobial resistance |
| spellingShingle | Yu Chen Rong Bao Na Li Tingting Fang Xiaoyu Yin Le Qin Bijie Hu Qing Miao Whole-genome recombination and dynamic accessory genomes drive the phenotypic diversity of Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials Mycobacterium abscessus Recombination Pangenome Antimicrobial resistance |
| title | Whole-genome recombination and dynamic accessory genomes drive the phenotypic diversity of Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies |
| title_full | Whole-genome recombination and dynamic accessory genomes drive the phenotypic diversity of Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies |
| title_fullStr | Whole-genome recombination and dynamic accessory genomes drive the phenotypic diversity of Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Whole-genome recombination and dynamic accessory genomes drive the phenotypic diversity of Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies |
| title_short | Whole-genome recombination and dynamic accessory genomes drive the phenotypic diversity of Mycobacterium abscessus subspecies |
| title_sort | whole genome recombination and dynamic accessory genomes drive the phenotypic diversity of mycobacterium abscessus subspecies |
| topic | Mycobacterium abscessus Recombination Pangenome Antimicrobial resistance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12941-025-00804-9 |
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