O Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) é uma espécie do gênero Crinivirus que causa danos, principalmente na cultura do tomateiro (Solanum lycopersicum). Foi primeiramente isolado e descrito em 1998, nos Estados Unidos, e em seguida foi reportado em doze países. No Brasil, foi constatado primeiramente no Estado de São Paulo, na região de Sumaré, em 2008, e posteriormente nos Estados da Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais e Rio de Janeiro. Há evidência da sua presença também nos Estados do Paraná e Santa Catarina. O ToCV pode infectar outras solanáceas além do tomateiro e, recentemente, foi observado infectando plantas de batata (Solanum tuberosum) no Brasil. Esse crinivirus é transmitido no Brasil principalmente pelo aleirodídeo (mosca branca) Bemisia tabaci MEAM1. Considerando o patossistema batateira/ToCV, não há estudos sobre a ocorrência, sintomatologia em diferentes variedades e danos provocados por esse crinivirus. Também não há antissoro policlonal para o isolado brasileiro do ToCV para uso na diagnose da doença em solanáceas. Esse trabalho teve por objetivos: purificar o ToCV e produzir antissoro policlonal; avaliar a reação de genótipos de batateira à infecção com o ToCV; avaliar o dano provocado por esse vírus em duas variedades de batateira. A purificação do vírus a partir de folhas de tomateiro e a produção de antissoro policlonal em coelho foram satisfatórias. No entanto, o antissoro não foi eficiente em ELISA, mas sim em dot-blot e somente na diluição de 1:20. Foi avaliada a reação de 21 genótipos de batateira à infecção com o ToCV, por meio da inoculação com B. tabaci MEAM1, com chance de escolha do vetor. Nenhum genótipo exibiu resistência à infecção; enquanto a variedade Camila foi assintomática e não apresentou alteração na fotossíntese. Plantas de batateira das variedades Ágata e Asterix sadias foram inoculadas com o ToCV, por meio da B. tabaci MEAM1 e ao final foram avaliadas a massa fresca da parte aérea, peso e número dos tubérculos colhidos. Em dois experimentos independentes, as reduções médias no peso fresco da parte aérea foram de 60,1% para Ágata e 46% para Asterix. Porém, as reduções nas produções dessas variedades, no primeiro experimento foram de 99,5% e 98,1%, respectivamente; enquanto no segundo os valores foram de 82,3% e 56,2%, respectivamente. / Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) is a species of the genus Crinivirus, which is causing considerable losses mainly on tomato crop (Solanum lycopersicum). It was first isolated and described on 1998 in the United States and subsequently reported in twelve countries. In Brazil, it was first reported in São Paulo State, in Sumaré region in 2008, and after that on the states of Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. There is evidence of the presence of ToCV on the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina. ToCV can also infect other solanaceae and more recently, it was reported infecting potato plants (Solanum tuberosum) in Brazil. This crinivirus is transmitted by Bemisia tabaci MEAM1. Considering the patosystem potato/ToCV, there are no studies on the occurrence, symptomatology in different varieties, and damages caused by this crinivirus. In addition, there is no polyclonal antiserum for the Brazilian isolate of ToCV for use in diagnosis. The objectives of the present work were: to purify the virus and produce a polyclonal antiserum; to evaluate the reaction of potato genotypes to ToCV infection; to evaluate the yield loss caused by this crinivirus on two potato cultivars. The virus purification from tomato leaves and the production of polyclonal antiserum in rabbit were satisfactorily accomplished. However, the antiserum was not efficient on ELISA test, but in dot-blot, only when diluted 1:20. The reaction of 21 potato genotypes to infection with ToCV was evaluated by inoculation with B. tabaci MEAM1, with chance of choice for the vector. All genotypes were infected with ToCV and Camila was the only one asymptomatic. Plants of cultivars Ágata and Asterix were inoculated with ToCV, by means of viruliferous vector, and at the end were evaluated for the fresh mass of the aerial part, weight and number of harvested tubers. In two independent experiments, average reductions in aerial fresh weight were 60.1% for Ágata and 46% for Asterix. However, reductions in yield of these varieties in the first experiment were 99.5% and 98.1%, respectively; while in the second the values were 82.3% and 56.2%, respectively.

Orientador: José Osmar Gaspar / Banca: Hugo Kuniyuki / Banca: Fátima Pereira de Souza / Resumo: O lenho estriado de rupestris ou cascudo (Rupestris stem pitting - RSP), um dos componentes do Complexo do lenho rugoso ("Rugose wood" - RW), é considerado uma das doenças de videira transmitidas por enxertia de grande relevância econômica para a viticultura. O Rupestris stem pitting associated virus - RSPaV foi associado com a doença do lenho estriado ou cascudo, sendo classificado como espécie do gênero Foveavirus, pertencente a família Flexiviridae. No presente trabalho, descrevem-se o sequenciamento do gene da proteína capsidial (CP) de um isolado brasileiro do RSPaV (RSPaV-SP), sua expressão em Escherichia coli, purificação da proteína capsidial recombinante e a produção de anti-soro policlonal em coelho. O sequenciamento do gene resultou em uma seqüência de 780 nucleotídeos e 259 aminoácidos deduzidos com massa molecular estimada de 28 kDa. A análise filogenética, entre a seqüência correspondente à CP do RSPaV-SP e outras variantes do mesmo vírus, evidenciou a formação de 4 grupos distintos, sendo o isolado brasileiro incluído no grupo da variante BS do RSPaV. A proteína capsidial recombinante foi purificada em coluna de afinidade e apresentou massa molecular estimada de 32kDa (4kDa da seqüência do vetor e 28kD da CP do RSPaV-SP). O anti-soro produzido apresentou-se específico na detecção da proteína capsidial recombinante purificada por "Western-blot", sem reação com proteína heteróloga a partir da diluição 1:4000. Nesta diluição, o anti-soro foi efetivo na detecção do vírus em extratos de plantas infectadas, sendo que nenhuma reação foi observada com extratos de plantas sadias. Considerando-se que este vírus apresenta variações de concentração na planta durante as estações do ano, e que, os testes sorológicos foram realizados durante a estação de baixa concentração do vírus, os resultados ...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Rupestris stem pitting (RSP), a component of the rugose wood (RW) complex, is one of the most graft-transmissible grapevine virus diseases with great economic importance for viticulture . Rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (RSPaV), genus Foveavirus within the family Flexiviridae, has been associated with this disease. This work reports the sequencing of the coat protein (CP) gene of a brazilian an isolate of RSPaV (RSPaV-SP), its expression in Escherichia coli, purification of the recombinant coat protein and production of a polyclonal antiserum in rabbit. CP gene was found to be 780nt long, with a 256 deduced amino acid sequence encoding a predicted protein of 28 kDa. In filogenetic analysis, with RSPaV-SP and other variants of the virus, four groups were found and the sequence of RSPaV-SP showed the highest identity with the variant RSPaV-BS. The recombinant coat protein was purified by affinity chromatography and showed a molecular weight of 32kDa (4 kDa from a small vector sequence plus 28 kDa for the CP of RSPaV-SP). The antiserum proved specific for detection of the recombinant protein by Western Blot, and did not react with heterologous proteins starting at a dilution of 1:4000. At this dilution, the antiserum was effective in the virus detection of leaf extracts of infected plants and no reaction was observed with extracts from healthy grapevines. Considering that the virus is found at low concentrations in the plants during the seasons of the year, the results obtained so far were highly satisfactory for RSPaV detection. Serological methods have advantages over the biological indexing method, since they are cheaper and can be used in large-scale tests such as ELISA. Experiments using the ELISA technique were not successful. Purification of the native recombinant protein would be an alternative more efective to detect the virus using these technique. / Mestre

O Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) é uma espécie do gênero Crinivirus que causa danos, principalmente na cultura do tomateiro (Solanum lycopersicum). Foi primeiramente isolado e descrito em 1998, nos Estados Unidos, e em seguida foi reportado em doze países. No Brasil, foi constatado primeiramente no Estado de São Paulo, na região de Sumaré, em 2008, e posteriormente nos Estados da Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais e Rio de Janeiro. Há evidência da sua presença também nos Estados do Paraná e Santa Catarina. O ToCV pode infectar outras solanáceas além do tomateiro e, recentemente, foi observado infectando plantas de batata (Solanum tuberosum) no Brasil. Esse crinivirus é transmitido no Brasil principalmente pelo aleirodídeo (mosca branca) Bemisia tabaci MEAM1. Considerando o patossistema batateira/ToCV, não há estudos sobre a ocorrência, sintomatologia em diferentes variedades e danos provocados por esse crinivirus. Também não há antissoro policlonal para o isolado brasileiro do ToCV para uso na diagnose da doença em solanáceas. Esse trabalho teve por objetivos: purificar o ToCV e produzir antissoro policlonal; avaliar a reação de genótipos de batateira à infecção com o ToCV; avaliar o dano provocado por esse vírus em duas variedades de batateira. A purificação do vírus a partir de folhas de tomateiro e a produção de antissoro policlonal em coelho foram satisfatórias. No entanto, o antissoro não foi eficiente em ELISA, mas sim em dot-blot e somente na diluição de 1:20. Foi avaliada a reação de 21 genótipos de batateira à infecção com o ToCV, por meio da inoculação com B. tabaci MEAM1, com chance de escolha do vetor. Nenhum genótipo exibiu resistência à infecção; enquanto a variedade Camila foi assintomática e não apresentou alteração na fotossíntese. Plantas de batateira das variedades Ágata e Asterix sadias foram inoculadas com o ToCV, por meio da B. tabaci MEAM1 e ao final foram avaliadas a massa fresca da parte aérea, peso e número dos tubérculos colhidos. Em dois experimentos independentes, as reduções médias no peso fresco da parte aérea foram de 60,1% para Ágata e 46% para Asterix. Porém, as reduções nas produções dessas variedades, no primeiro experimento foram de 99,5% e 98,1%, respectivamente; enquanto no segundo os valores foram de 82,3% e 56,2%, respectivamente. / Tomato chlorosis virus (ToCV) is a species of the genus Crinivirus, which is causing considerable losses mainly on tomato crop (Solanum lycopersicum). It was first isolated and described on 1998 in the United States and subsequently reported in twelve countries. In Brazil, it was first reported in São Paulo State, in Sumaré region in 2008, and after that on the states of Bahia, Espírito Santo, Goiás, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. There is evidence of the presence of ToCV on the states of Paraná and Santa Catarina. ToCV can also infect other solanaceae and more recently, it was reported infecting potato plants (Solanum tuberosum) in Brazil. This crinivirus is transmitted by Bemisia tabaci MEAM1. Considering the patosystem potato/ToCV, there are no studies on the occurrence, symptomatology in different varieties, and damages caused by this crinivirus. In addition, there is no polyclonal antiserum for the Brazilian isolate of ToCV for use in diagnosis. The objectives of the present work were: to purify the virus and produce a polyclonal antiserum; to evaluate the reaction of potato genotypes to ToCV infection; to evaluate the yield loss caused by this crinivirus on two potato cultivars. The virus purification from tomato leaves and the production of polyclonal antiserum in rabbit were satisfactorily accomplished. However, the antiserum was not efficient on ELISA test, but in dot-blot, only when diluted 1:20. The reaction of 21 potato genotypes to infection with ToCV was evaluated by inoculation with B. tabaci MEAM1, with chance of choice for the vector. All genotypes were infected with ToCV and Camila was the only one asymptomatic. Plants of cultivars Ágata and Asterix were inoculated with ToCV, by means of viruliferous vector, and at the end were evaluated for the fresh mass of the aerial part, weight and number of harvested tubers. In two independent experiments, average reductions in aerial fresh weight were 60.1% for Ágata and 46% for Asterix. However, reductions in yield of these varieties in the first experiment were 99.5% and 98.1%, respectively; while in the second the values were 82.3% and 56.2%, respectively.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-03-13Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:35:43Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 pereira_acb_me_sjrp.pdf: 828257 bytes, checksum: de1b44b38dfac1b95be8ef5a683e7543 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O lenho estriado de rupestris ou cascudo (Rupestris stem pitting – RSP), um dos componentes do Complexo do lenho rugoso (“Rugose wood” - RW), é considerado uma das doenças de videira transmitidas por enxertia de grande relevância econômica para a viticultura. O Rupestris stem pitting associated virus – RSPaV foi associado com a doença do lenho estriado ou cascudo, sendo classificado como espécie do gênero Foveavirus, pertencente a família Flexiviridae. No presente trabalho, descrevem-se o sequenciamento do gene da proteína capsidial (CP) de um isolado brasileiro do RSPaV (RSPaV-SP), sua expressão em Escherichia coli, purificação da proteína capsidial recombinante e a produção de anti-soro policlonal em coelho. O sequenciamento do gene resultou em uma seqüência de 780 nucleotídeos e 259 aminoácidos deduzidos com massa molecular estimada de 28 kDa. A análise filogenética, entre a seqüência correspondente à CP do RSPaV-SP e outras variantes do mesmo vírus, evidenciou a formação de 4 grupos distintos, sendo o isolado brasileiro incluído no grupo da variante BS do RSPaV. A proteína capsidial recombinante foi purificada em coluna de afinidade e apresentou massa molecular estimada de 32kDa (4kDa da seqüência do vetor e 28kD da CP do RSPaV-SP). O anti-soro produzido apresentou-se específico na detecção da proteína capsidial recombinante purificada por “Western-blot”, sem reação com proteína heteróloga a partir da diluição 1:4000. Nesta diluição, o anti-soro foi efetivo na detecção do vírus em extratos de plantas infectadas, sendo que nenhuma reação foi observada com extratos de plantas sadias. Considerando-se que este vírus apresenta variações de concentração na planta durante as estações do ano, e que, os testes sorológicos foram realizados durante a estação de baixa concentração do vírus, os resultados... / Rupestris stem pitting (RSP), a component of the rugose wood (RW) complex, is one of the most graft-transmissible grapevine virus diseases with great economic importance for viticulture . Rupestris stem pitting-associated virus (RSPaV), genus Foveavirus within the family Flexiviridae, has been associated with this disease. This work reports the sequencing of the coat protein (CP) gene of a brazilian an isolate of RSPaV (RSPaV-SP), its expression in Escherichia coli, purification of the recombinant coat protein and production of a polyclonal antiserum in rabbit. CP gene was found to be 780nt long, with a 256 deduced amino acid sequence encoding a predicted protein of 28 kDa. In filogenetic analysis, with RSPaV-SP and other variants of the virus, four groups were found and the sequence of RSPaV-SP showed the highest identity with the variant RSPaV-BS. The recombinant coat protein was purified by affinity chromatography and showed a molecular weight of 32kDa (4 kDa from a small vector sequence plus 28 kDa for the CP of RSPaV-SP). The antiserum proved specific for detection of the recombinant protein by Western Blot, and did not react with heterologous proteins starting at a dilution of 1:4000. At this dilution, the antiserum was effective in the virus detection of leaf extracts of infected plants and no reaction was observed with extracts from healthy grapevines. Considering that the virus is found at low concentrations in the plants during the seasons of the year, the results obtained so far were highly satisfactory for RSPaV detection. Serological methods have advantages over the biological indexing method, since they are cheaper and can be used in large-scale tests such as ELISA. Experiments using the ELISA technique were not successful. Purification of the native recombinant protein would be an alternative more efective to detect the virus using these technique.

Les entérocoques font partie de la flore normale intestinale des animaux et des humains. Plusieurs études ont démontré que les entérocoques d’origine animale pouvaient représenter un réservoir de gènes de résistance aux antibiotiques pour la communauté humaine et animale. Les espèces Enterococcus faecalis et Enterococcus faecium sont importantes en santé publique; elles sont responsables d’environ 12% de toutes les infections nosocomiales aux États-Unis. Au Canada, les cas de colonisation et/ou d’infections à entérocoques résistants à la vancomycine ont plus que triplé de 2005 à 2009. Un total de 387 isolats E. faecalis et E. faecium aviaires, et 124 isolats E. faecalis porcins ont été identifiés et analysés pour leur susceptibilité aux antibiotiques. De hauts pourcentages de résistance envers les macrolides et les tétracyclines ont été observés tant chez les isolats aviaires que porcins. Deux profils phénotypiques prédominants ont été déterminés et analysés par PCR et séquençage pour la présence de gènes de résistance aux antibiotiques. Différentes combinaisons de gènes de résistance ont été identifiées dont erm(B) et tet(M) étant les plus prévalents. Des extractions plasmidiques et des analyses par hybridation ont permis de déterminer, pour la première fois, la colocalisation des gènes erm(B) et tet(M) sur un plasmide d’environ 9 kb chez des isolats E. faecalis porcins, et des gènes erm(B) et tet(O) sur un plasmide de faible poids moléculaire d’environ 11 kb chez des isolats E. faecalis aviaires. De plus, nous avons démontré, grâce à des essais conjugatifs, que ces plasmides pouvaient être transférés. Les résultats ont révélé que les entérocoques intestinaux aviaires et porcins, lesquels peuvent contaminer la viande à l’abattoir, pouvaient représenter un réservoir de gènes de résistance envers la quinupristine-dalfopristine, la bacitracine, la tétracycline et les macrolides. Afin d’évaluer l’utilisation d’un antisérum polyclonal SA dans l’interférence de la résistance à de fortes concentrations de bacitracine (gènes bcrRAB), lors d’un transfert conjugatif répondant aux phéromones, un isolat multirésistant E. faecalis aviaire a été sélectionné. Après induction avec des phéromones produites par la souche réceptrice E. faecalis JH2-2, l’agrégation de la souche donatrice E. faecalis 543 a été observée ainsi que des fréquences de transfert élevées en bouillon lors d’une courte période de conjugaison. Le transfert conjugatif des gènes asa1, traB et bcrRAB ainsi que leur colocalisation a été démontré chez le donneur et un transconjugant T543-1 sur un plasmide de 115 kb par électrophorèse à champs pulsé (PFGE) et hybridation. Une CMI de > 2 048 µg/ml envers la bacitracine a été obtenue tant chez le donneur que le transconjuguant tandis que la souche réceptrice JH2-2 démontrait une CMI de 32 µg/ml. Le séquençage des gènes asa1, codant pour la substance agrégative, et traB, une protéine régulant négativement la réponse aux phéromones, a révélé une association de cet élément génétique avec le plasmide pJM01. De plus, cette étude présente qu’un antisérum polyclonal SA peut interférer significativement dans le transfert horizontal d’un plasmide répondant aux phéromones codant pour de la résistance à de fortes doses de bacitracine d’une souche E. faecalis aviaire multirésistante. Des isolats cliniques E. faecium d’origine humaine et canine ont été analysés et comparés. Cette étude rapporte, pour la première fois, la caractérisation d’isolats cliniques E. faecium résistants à l’ampicilline (EFRA) d’origine canine associés à CC17 (ST17) au Canada. Ces isolats étaient résistants à la ciprofloxacine et à la lincomycine. Leur résistance envers la ciprofloxacine a été confirmée par la présence de substitutions dans la séquence en acides aminés des gènes de l’ADN gyrase (gyrA/gyrB) et de la topoisomérase IV (parC/parE). Des résistances élevées envers la gentamicine, la kanamycine et la streptomycine, et de la résistance envers les macrolides et les lincosamides a également été observées. La fréquence de résistance envers la tétracycline était élevée tandis que celle envers la vancomycine n’a pas été détectée. De plus, aucune résistance n’a été observée envers le linézolide et la quinupristine-dalfopristine. Les données ont démontré une absence complète des gènes esp (protéine de surface des entérocoques) et hyl (hyaluronidase) chez les isolats canins EFRA testés tandis qu’ils possédaient tous le gène acm (adhésine de liaison au collagène d’E. faecium). Aucune activité reliée à la formation de biofilm ou la présence d’éléments CRISPR (loci de courtes répétitions palindromiques à interespaces réguliers) n’a été identifiée chez les isolats canins EFRA. Les familles de plasmide rep6 and rep11 ont significativement été associées aux isolats d’origine canine. Les profils PFGE des isolats d’origine humaine et canine n'ont révélé aucune relation (≤ 80%). Ces résultats illustrent l'importance d'une utilisation judicieuse des antibiotiques en médecine vétérinaire afin d’éviter la dissémination zoonotique des isolats EFRA canins. Nous pensons que ces résultats contribueront à une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes de résistance aux antibiotiques et de leurs éléments mobiles ainsi qu’à de nouvelles stratégies afin de réduire le transfert horizontal de la résistance aux antibiotiques et des facteurs de virulence. / Enterococci are part of normal intestinal gut flora of animals and humans. Many studies have shown that enterococci from animal origin could represent an antimicrobial resistance genes reservoir for the human community. The two species Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are important in public health; they are responsible for approximately 12% of all nosocomial infections in the United States. In Canada, cases of colonization and/or infections to vancomycin resistant enterococci have more than tripled from 2005 to 2009. A total of 387 poultry E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates, and 124 porcine E. faecalis isolates were identified and analyzed for their antibiotic susceptibilities. High percentages of resistance to macrolides and tetracyclines were found in both avian and porcine isolates. Two predominant phenotypic profiles were determined and analyzed by PCR and sequencing for the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes. Various combinations of antibiotic resistance genes were detected; erm(B) and tet(M) were the most common genes. For the first time, plasmid extraction and hybridization revealed colocalization of erm(B) and tet(M) on a plasmid of ~9 kb in porcine E. faecalis isolates, and of erm(B) and tet(O) on a low-molecular-weight plasmid of ~11 kb in poultry E. faecalis isolates. Furthermore, we demonstrated, through mating experiments, these plasmids could be transferred. Results indicate that the intestinal enterococci of healthy pigs and poultry, which can contaminate meat at slaughter, could be a reservoir for quinupristin-dalfopristin, bacitracin, tetracycline, and macrolide resistance genes. To assess the use of a polyclonal antiserum AS on the contact interference of a high level bacitracin resistant (bcrRAB genes) pheromone-responsive plasmid, a multiresistant E. faecalis isolate of poultry origin was selected. After induction with pheromones produced by the recipient strain E. faecalis JH2-2, clumping of the donor E. faecalis strain 543 was demonstrated as well as high transfer frequencies in short time broth mating. Conjugative transfer of asa1, traB and bcrRAB genes and their co-localization were also demonstrated in the donor strain and a transconjugant T543-1 on a plasmid band of 115 kb by PFGE and Southern blotting. A MIC to bacitracin of > 2 048 µg/ml was obtained for both strains 543 and T543-1 whereas the recipient strain JH2-2 demonstrated a MIC of 32 µg/ml. Sequencing of the asa1 gene encoding for an AS, and traB for a pheromone shutdown protein, confirmed the association of this genetic element to the pheromone-responsive plasmid related to pJM01. More significantly, this study presents the evidence that a polyclonal antiserum AS can significantly interfere with the horizontal transfer of a pheromone-responsive plasmid encoding high-level bacitracin resistance of a poultry multidrug resistant E. faecalis strain. Clinical isolates of E. faecium of human and canine origin were analyzed and compared. This report describes for the first time the characterization of canine clinical ampicillin-resistant E. faecium (AREF) isolates related to CC17 (ST17) in Canada. These isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin and lincomycin. Resistance to ciprofloxacin was confirmed by amino acid substitutions in DNA gyrase (gyrA/gyrB) and topoisomerase IV (parC/parE) genes. High-level gentamicin, -kanamycin and -streptomycin resistances and macrolides resistance were also observed. The frequency of tetracycline resistance was high whereas vancomycin resistance was not detected. Also, no resistance was observed to linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin antibiotics. Data demonstrated the complete absence of enterococcal surface protein (esp) and hyaluronidase (hyl) genes among the canine AREF isolates tested while all were acm (collagen adhesin from E. faecium) positive. However, most of them were shown to harbor efaAfm gene, encoding for a cell wall adhesin. No biofilm formation or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) elements were identified in these canine AREF isolates. rep6 and rep11 families of plasmids were significantly associated with isolates from dogs. The PFGE patterns of human and dog isolates were considered unrelated (≤ 80%). These findings also support the importance of prudent use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine to avoid zoonotic spread of canine AREF isolates. We are confident that our results may help to better understand the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and mobile element carrying them as well as new strategies to reduce the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance and virulence traits.

Les entérocoques font partie de la flore normale intestinale des animaux et des humains. Plusieurs études ont démontré que les entérocoques d’origine animale pouvaient représenter un réservoir de gènes de résistance aux antibiotiques pour la communauté humaine et animale. Les espèces Enterococcus faecalis et Enterococcus faecium sont importantes en santé publique; elles sont responsables d’environ 12% de toutes les infections nosocomiales aux États-Unis. Au Canada, les cas de colonisation et/ou d’infections à entérocoques résistants à la vancomycine ont plus que triplé de 2005 à 2009. Un total de 387 isolats E. faecalis et E. faecium aviaires, et 124 isolats E. faecalis porcins ont été identifiés et analysés pour leur susceptibilité aux antibiotiques. De hauts pourcentages de résistance envers les macrolides et les tétracyclines ont été observés tant chez les isolats aviaires que porcins. Deux profils phénotypiques prédominants ont été déterminés et analysés par PCR et séquençage pour la présence de gènes de résistance aux antibiotiques. Différentes combinaisons de gènes de résistance ont été identifiées dont erm(B) et tet(M) étant les plus prévalents. Des extractions plasmidiques et des analyses par hybridation ont permis de déterminer, pour la première fois, la colocalisation des gènes erm(B) et tet(M) sur un plasmide d’environ 9 kb chez des isolats E. faecalis porcins, et des gènes erm(B) et tet(O) sur un plasmide de faible poids moléculaire d’environ 11 kb chez des isolats E. faecalis aviaires. De plus, nous avons démontré, grâce à des essais conjugatifs, que ces plasmides pouvaient être transférés. Les résultats ont révélé que les entérocoques intestinaux aviaires et porcins, lesquels peuvent contaminer la viande à l’abattoir, pouvaient représenter un réservoir de gènes de résistance envers la quinupristine-dalfopristine, la bacitracine, la tétracycline et les macrolides. Afin d’évaluer l’utilisation d’un antisérum polyclonal SA dans l’interférence de la résistance à de fortes concentrations de bacitracine (gènes bcrRAB), lors d’un transfert conjugatif répondant aux phéromones, un isolat multirésistant E. faecalis aviaire a été sélectionné. Après induction avec des phéromones produites par la souche réceptrice E. faecalis JH2-2, l’agrégation de la souche donatrice E. faecalis 543 a été observée ainsi que des fréquences de transfert élevées en bouillon lors d’une courte période de conjugaison. Le transfert conjugatif des gènes asa1, traB et bcrRAB ainsi que leur colocalisation a été démontré chez le donneur et un transconjugant T543-1 sur un plasmide de 115 kb par électrophorèse à champs pulsé (PFGE) et hybridation. Une CMI de > 2 048 µg/ml envers la bacitracine a été obtenue tant chez le donneur que le transconjuguant tandis que la souche réceptrice JH2-2 démontrait une CMI de 32 µg/ml. Le séquençage des gènes asa1, codant pour la substance agrégative, et traB, une protéine régulant négativement la réponse aux phéromones, a révélé une association de cet élément génétique avec le plasmide pJM01. De plus, cette étude présente qu’un antisérum polyclonal SA peut interférer significativement dans le transfert horizontal d’un plasmide répondant aux phéromones codant pour de la résistance à de fortes doses de bacitracine d’une souche E. faecalis aviaire multirésistante. Des isolats cliniques E. faecium d’origine humaine et canine ont été analysés et comparés. Cette étude rapporte, pour la première fois, la caractérisation d’isolats cliniques E. faecium résistants à l’ampicilline (EFRA) d’origine canine associés à CC17 (ST17) au Canada. Ces isolats étaient résistants à la ciprofloxacine et à la lincomycine. Leur résistance envers la ciprofloxacine a été confirmée par la présence de substitutions dans la séquence en acides aminés des gènes de l’ADN gyrase (gyrA/gyrB) et de la topoisomérase IV (parC/parE). Des résistances élevées envers la gentamicine, la kanamycine et la streptomycine, et de la résistance envers les macrolides et les lincosamides a également été observées. La fréquence de résistance envers la tétracycline était élevée tandis que celle envers la vancomycine n’a pas été détectée. De plus, aucune résistance n’a été observée envers le linézolide et la quinupristine-dalfopristine. Les données ont démontré une absence complète des gènes esp (protéine de surface des entérocoques) et hyl (hyaluronidase) chez les isolats canins EFRA testés tandis qu’ils possédaient tous le gène acm (adhésine de liaison au collagène d’E. faecium). Aucune activité reliée à la formation de biofilm ou la présence d’éléments CRISPR (loci de courtes répétitions palindromiques à interespaces réguliers) n’a été identifiée chez les isolats canins EFRA. Les familles de plasmide rep6 and rep11 ont significativement été associées aux isolats d’origine canine. Les profils PFGE des isolats d’origine humaine et canine n'ont révélé aucune relation (≤ 80%). Ces résultats illustrent l'importance d'une utilisation judicieuse des antibiotiques en médecine vétérinaire afin d’éviter la dissémination zoonotique des isolats EFRA canins. Nous pensons que ces résultats contribueront à une meilleure compréhension des mécanismes de résistance aux antibiotiques et de leurs éléments mobiles ainsi qu’à de nouvelles stratégies afin de réduire le transfert horizontal de la résistance aux antibiotiques et des facteurs de virulence. / Enterococci are part of normal intestinal gut flora of animals and humans. Many studies have shown that enterococci from animal origin could represent an antimicrobial resistance genes reservoir for the human community. The two species Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are important in public health; they are responsible for approximately 12% of all nosocomial infections in the United States. In Canada, cases of colonization and/or infections to vancomycin resistant enterococci have more than tripled from 2005 to 2009. A total of 387 poultry E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates, and 124 porcine E. faecalis isolates were identified and analyzed for their antibiotic susceptibilities. High percentages of resistance to macrolides and tetracyclines were found in both avian and porcine isolates. Two predominant phenotypic profiles were determined and analyzed by PCR and sequencing for the presence of antimicrobial resistance genes. Various combinations of antibiotic resistance genes were detected; erm(B) and tet(M) were the most common genes. For the first time, plasmid extraction and hybridization revealed colocalization of erm(B) and tet(M) on a plasmid of ~9 kb in porcine E. faecalis isolates, and of erm(B) and tet(O) on a low-molecular-weight plasmid of ~11 kb in poultry E. faecalis isolates. Furthermore, we demonstrated, through mating experiments, these plasmids could be transferred. Results indicate that the intestinal enterococci of healthy pigs and poultry, which can contaminate meat at slaughter, could be a reservoir for quinupristin-dalfopristin, bacitracin, tetracycline, and macrolide resistance genes. To assess the use of a polyclonal antiserum AS on the contact interference of a high level bacitracin resistant (bcrRAB genes) pheromone-responsive plasmid, a multiresistant E. faecalis isolate of poultry origin was selected. After induction with pheromones produced by the recipient strain E. faecalis JH2-2, clumping of the donor E. faecalis strain 543 was demonstrated as well as high transfer frequencies in short time broth mating. Conjugative transfer of asa1, traB and bcrRAB genes and their co-localization were also demonstrated in the donor strain and a transconjugant T543-1 on a plasmid band of 115 kb by PFGE and Southern blotting. A MIC to bacitracin of > 2 048 µg/ml was obtained for both strains 543 and T543-1 whereas the recipient strain JH2-2 demonstrated a MIC of 32 µg/ml. Sequencing of the asa1 gene encoding for an AS, and traB for a pheromone shutdown protein, confirmed the association of this genetic element to the pheromone-responsive plasmid related to pJM01. More significantly, this study presents the evidence that a polyclonal antiserum AS can significantly interfere with the horizontal transfer of a pheromone-responsive plasmid encoding high-level bacitracin resistance of a poultry multidrug resistant E. faecalis strain. Clinical isolates of E. faecium of human and canine origin were analyzed and compared. This report describes for the first time the characterization of canine clinical ampicillin-resistant E. faecium (AREF) isolates related to CC17 (ST17) in Canada. These isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin and lincomycin. Resistance to ciprofloxacin was confirmed by amino acid substitutions in DNA gyrase (gyrA/gyrB) and topoisomerase IV (parC/parE) genes. High-level gentamicin, -kanamycin and -streptomycin resistances and macrolides resistance were also observed. The frequency of tetracycline resistance was high whereas vancomycin resistance was not detected. Also, no resistance was observed to linezolid and quinupristin-dalfopristin antibiotics. Data demonstrated the complete absence of enterococcal surface protein (esp) and hyaluronidase (hyl) genes among the canine AREF isolates tested while all were acm (collagen adhesin from E. faecium) positive. However, most of them were shown to harbor efaAfm gene, encoding for a cell wall adhesin. No biofilm formation or clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) elements were identified in these canine AREF isolates. rep6 and rep11 families of plasmids were significantly associated with isolates from dogs. The PFGE patterns of human and dog isolates were considered unrelated (≤ 80%). These findings also support the importance of prudent use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine to avoid zoonotic spread of canine AREF isolates. We are confident that our results may help to better understand the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and mobile element carrying them as well as new strategies to reduce the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance and virulence traits.