Genetic association of blaSHV-5 with transposable elements IS26 and IS5 in Klebsiella pneumoniae from Taiwan

Abstract

A cloned 5248-bp EcoRI fragment from the Klebsiella pneumoniae transferable plasmid pKP53 (> 70 kb) containing blaSHV-5 was sequenced. Insertion sequences IS26 and IS5 were found downstream from blaSHV-5. The DNA sequences of the genetic environment surrounding blaSHV-5 were homologous to plasmid p1658/97 from Escherichia coli, containing a truncated recF gene and a truncated deoR gene upstream and downstream from blaSHV-5, respectively. RecF may be involved in blaSHV-5 translocation to the plasmid by RecF-dependent recombination. This novel genetic environment may be associated with the successful proliferation and/or expression of SHV-5 in K. pneumoniae strains from Taiwan. © 2006 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.