Kocuria Species Antibiotic Resistance Genes

Investigation of antibiotic resistance in species of the genus Kocuria is of great practical relevance. We studied the effects of seven different antibiotics on three Kocuria strains: K. rhizophila 4R-31, K. rhizophila 155, and K. carniphila 988. We found that K. carniphila 988 had a significantly higher resistance to fosfomycin, azithromycin, and avilamycin than both other strains. We analyzed the genomes of these strains and identified the genes providing K. carniphila 988 with antibiotic resistance. In addition, we analyzed the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes within the genus and showed that the taxonomic clustering of Kocuria strains correlated with the presence of antibiotic resistance genes in their genomes. Our data shed more light on the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and can have prognostic value for industry and medicine.