Research progress in transmission of multidrug resistance mediated by genomic islands in Proteus mirabilis

Abstract:

Proteus mirabilis is an important opportunistic pathogen causing nosocomial infection, and is widely distributed in the natural environment and intestines of humans and animals. Genomic islands (GIs) are 10?200 kb discrete DNA segments located on the chromosome of bacteria, which promote their host bacteria adapting to the complex and varied environment and are closely related with the adaptive evolution of bacteria. In recent years, several GIs associated with multidrug resistance (MDR) have been found in the genome of P. mirabilis, including Salmonella genomic island 1 and its related GIs, SXT/R391 integrative and conjugative elements and PmGRI1, indicating that GIs play important roles in the MDR formation and transmission in P. mirabilis. In this paper we reviews the research progress in the genetic characteristics, transmission mechanisms and prevalence of those GIs, which provides reference for further study of the GIs associated with MDR in P. mirabilis.

Key words:Proteus mirabilis, genomic island, multidrug resistance, Salmonella genomic island 1, integrative and conjugative elements