AUTHOR=Lavollay Marie , Buon Céline , Le Moigne Vincent , Compain Fabrice , Guyonvarch Armel , Fonvielle Matthieu 

TITLE=Exploration of the role of the penicillin binding protein 2c (Pbp2c) in inducible β-lactam resistance in Corynebacteriaceae

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=15

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2024.1327723

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2024.1327723

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>Six genes encoding putative high molecular weight penicillin-binding proteins (Pbp) are present in the genome of the β-lactam-resistant strain <italic>Corynebacterium jeikeium</italic> K411. In this study, we show that <italic>pbp2c</italic>, one of these six genes, is present in resistant strains of <italic>Corynebacteriaceae</italic> but absent from sensitive strains. The molecular study of the <italic>pbp2c</italic> locus from <italic>C. jeikeium</italic> and its heterologous expression in <italic>Corynebacterium glutamicum</italic> allowed us to show that Pbp2c confers high levels of β-lactam resistance to the host and is under the control of a β-lactam-induced regulatory system encoded by two adjacent genes, <italic>jk0410</italic> and <italic>jk0411</italic>. The detection of this inducible resistance may require up to 48 h of incubation, particularly in <italic>Corynebacterium amycolatum</italic>. Finally, the Pbp2c-expressing strains studied were resistant to all the β-lactam antibiotics tested, including carbapenems, ceftaroline, and ceftobiprole.</p>