Unraveling genomic and phenotypic nature of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa VRFPA04 isolated from keratitis patient.

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa VRFPA04, obtained from a keratitis patient was found to exhibit resistance to betalactam (Penicillins, cephalosporins, including carbapenems, except aztreonam), aminoglycosides, quinolone group of drugs and susceptible to colistin. The complete genome sequencing of the ocular isolate to measure and ascertain the degree of multidrug resistance in VRFPA04 strain resulted in 6,818,030bp (6.8Mb) genome sizes, which happen to be the third largest genome available in the Genbank to date. Two chromosomally integrated class I integrons carrying bla carbapenemase gene, multiple secretory systems consisting of types I-VI and VIII proteins and ocular virulence factors exo-T, Y, U and exotoxin A, a gene that inhibits protein synthesis which could have caused corneal cell death and Phytohormone auxin biosynthetic protein were detected in the genome of VRFPA04 Genome. In addition, 58 Regions of Genomic Plasticity (RGPs) regions, multiple phage genomes, genomic islands, CRISPR genes and RND family efflux pumps, such as MexCD-OprJ and MexEF-OprN and its regulators, MexT and MexR, were unraveled in VRFPA04. Thus, the current study reveals the virulence factors and resistome nature of an ocular isolate P aeruginosa VRFPA04 genome.