Complete Genome Sequences of Three Important Methicillin-Resistant Clinical Isolates of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius

We report the first complete genome sequences of three predominant clones (ST68, ST71, and ST84) of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in North America. All strains were isolated from canine infections and have different SCCmec elements and antibiotic resistance gene patterns.

nistic pathogen (1) that primarily causes infections in canines but is also relevant to human medicine (2)(3)(4), particularly with the worldwide expansion of methicillin-resistant clonal lineages (5)(6)(7)(8). While a complete genome is publically available for a European methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) isolate (9), no complete MRSP genomes from dominant clonal lineages in North America are available. Here, we present the complete circular chromosomes of MRSP strains NA45, 081661, and 063228, which were isolated from canine infections in 2006 and 2008 and represent three dominant sequence types (ST) in North America, namely, ST84, ST71, and ST68, respectively (10).
The 081661 genome shared 99% identity over 96% of the published ST71 European isolate E140, with the major differences resulting from prophage composition (9). In addition to the methicillin resistance gene mecA, all strains contained the beta-lactamase gene blaZ, the kanamycin and streptomycin resistance genes aph(3=)-III and ant(6)-Ia. Strains 063228 and 081661 also harbor genes conferring resistance to gentamicin-kanamycin [aac(6=)-Ie-aph(2=)-Ia], macrolides-lincosamides-streptogramins B [erm(B)], while strain 063228 had additional lincosamide and tetracycline resistance genes lnu(A) and tet(M) (13). The methicillin resistance gene mecA was found on the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) SCCmecV in 063228, on SCCmecII-III in strain 081661, and on a novel SCCmec element in strain NA45. This 43,922-bp cassette has mecA integrated in the opposite direction compared to all other SCCmec elements (14) and contains the recombinase gene ccrC6.
The complete genomes of three strains belonging to three predominant clones causing infections in dogs in the United States permits further comparative genomic analyses and gives new insights into the molecular epidemiology and biological characteristics of S. pseudintermedius.
Accession number(s). These whole-genome projects have been deposited in DDBJ/ENA/GenBank under the accession numbers CP016072, CP016073, and CP015626. The versions described in this paper are the first versions, CP016072.1, CP016073.1, and CP015626.1.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
We acknowledge the University of Tennessee, College of Veterinary Medicine Bacteriology Lab for isolating strains 081661 and 063228 and for technical assistance and susceptibility testing, as well as Faye Hartmann at the Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine for providing strain NA45. crossmark We also thank the Canine Health Foundation and the Center of Excellence in Livestock Diseases and Human Health for funding and support.

FUNDING INFORMATION
This work, including the efforts of Stephen Anthony Kania, was funded by the Canine Health Foundation. This work, including the efforts of Stephen Anthony Kania, was funded by the Center of Excellence in Livestock Diseases and Human Health.
The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.