1Department of Molecular Veterinary Directorate General of Tehran Province
2Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iranesh BLVD
3Department of Research and Development, Bardia & Artin Gene Company, Room 212, First Floor, Alborz Innovation & Creative Industries Factory, 4th Line, Chalous Beltway, Hessar (Sarjoob), Alborz, Iran
4Department of Food Hygiene, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
چکیده
Introduction:Klebsiella pneumoniae is a major cause of healthcare-associated infections and an important reservoir of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinants. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) enables comprehensive resistome characterization and supports genomic AMR surveillance. This study aimed to characterize the resistome of a clinical K. pneumoniae isolate recovered from a mixed lower respiratory tract specimen using WGS and bioinformatic analysis.
Methods: Genomic DNA extracted from the clinical specimen was sequenced on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. After quality control, high-quality reads were assembled de novo using CLC Genomics Workbench version 20 and mapped against the K. pneumoniae RefSeq genome GCF_000240185.1. Resistome profiling was performed using ShortBRED with the Comprehensive Antibiotic Resistance Database (CARD) to identify and quantify AMR-associated markers. Detected markers were classified according to resistance mechanisms and corresponding antimicrobial classes.
Results: In total, 347 AMR markers with a cumulative abundance of 16,124.9 RPKM were identified. The resistome was mainly composed of β-lactamase-associated markers, including blaOXA, blaCTX-M, blaSHV, and blaTEM, together with multidrug efflux-associated markers such as acrA, oqxA, mdfA, and tolC. The polymyxin resistance-associated marker arnT was also detected. β-Lactam antibiotic inactivation and multidrug efflux were the predominant resistance mechanisms.
Conclusion: Combining de novo assembly, reference-based mapping, and ShortBRED/CARD resistome profiling enabled comprehensive genomic characterization of AMR-associated markers in K. pneumoniae. The findings highlight the diversity of resistance determinants that may coexist within a clinical isolate and emphasize the value of genomic approaches for AMR assessment. This approach may complement phenotypic testing and contribute to genomic surveillance of clinically relevant antimicrobial resistance.