Distribution of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Kocuria Species

Backgroud. Kocuria are widespread Gram-positive bacteria. Although they are traditionally classified as non-pathogenic, recent studies have shown that they can cause problems in various fields, from livestock and aquaculture to medicine. This has led to an increased need to understand their antibiotic resistance mechanisms in order to combat them. Methods. To study the determinants of Kocuria antibiotic resistance, we used bioinformatics methods. To identify antibiotic resistance genes, we retrieved the complete genome sequences of Kocuria strains from the RefSeq database and screened them for antibiotic resistance determinants with different mechanisms of action. We also studied Kocuria strains in more detail: we sequenced whole genomes of K. carniphila 988, K. rhizophila 155, K. rosea 394 and K. rosea 397, and, in addition to bioinformatics studies, and tested five strains for their ability to grow in the presence of antibiotics. Results. For these five strains, the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in their genomes correlated well with the observed resistance to the corresponding antibiotics: all 5 studied strains have a high level of resistance to chloramphenicol, in addition, K. carniphila 988 is highly resistant to azithromycin and avilamycin. Conclusions. Therefore, it has been demonstrated that antibiotic resistance genes are present in many Kocuria genomes and these genes are functional in the strains we have studied.