A Novel Plasmid pALWVS1.4 from Acinetobacter lwoffii Strain VS15, Carrying the Chloramphenicol Resistance Gene
Sequencing and analysis of the genome of the chloramphenicol-resistant strain Acinetobacter lwoffii VS15, isolated from permafrost, revealed a circular plasmid 11964 bp in length, designated pALWVS1.4. Apart from the genes supporting the plasmid maintenance and mobilization, pALWVS1.4 contains the cflA gene encoding the membrane protein of the MFS transporter family. Close homologues of cflA were found in bacteria of the genus Psychrobacter, but were absent in the Acinetobacter genomes. The cflA gene is flanked by two copies of IS elements of the IS4 family, indicating that it was acquired by A. lwoffii VS15 via horizontal transfer within this putative composite transposon. A recombinant Escherichia coli strain expressing CflA was obtained and it was shown that under conditions of induced expression, the strain was resistant to chloramphenicol.