IND-6, a highly divergent IND-type metallo-beta-lactamase from Chryseobacterium indologenes strain 597 isolated in Burkina Faso

The genus Chryseobacterium and other genera belonging to the family Flavobacteriaceae include organisms that can behave as human pathogens and are known to cause different kinds of infections. Several species of Flavobacteriaceae, including Chryseobacterium indologenes, are naturally resistant to β-lactam antibiotics (including carbapenems), due to the production of a resident metallo-β-lactamase. Although C. indologenes presently constitutes a limited clinical threat, the incidence of infections caused by this organism is increasing in some settings, where isolates that exhibit multidrug resistance phenotypes (including resistance to aminoglycosides and quinolones) have been detected. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a new IND-type variant from a C. indologenes isolate from Burkina Faso that is resistant to β-lactams and aminoglycosides. The levels of sequence identity of the new variant to other IND-type metallo-β- lactamases range between 72 and 90% (for IND-4 and IND-5, respectively). The purified enzyme exhibited N-terminal heterogeneity and a posttranslational modification consisting of the presence of a pyroglutamate residue at the N terminus. IND-6 shows a broad substrate profile, with overall higher turnover rates than IND-5 and higher activities than IND-2 and IND-5 against ceftazidime and cefepime. Copyright © 2009, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.