Expansion of a Plasmid Classification System for Gram-Positive Bacteria and Determination of the Diversity of Plasmids in Staphylococcus aureus Strains of Human, Animal, and Food Origins

Abstract

ABSTRACTAn expansion of a previously described plasmid classification was performed and used to reveal the plasmid content of a collection of 92Staphylococcus aureusstrains of different origins.repgenes of other genera were detected inStaphylococcus. S1 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) hybridizations were performed with 18 representativeS. aureusstrains, and a high number of plasmids of different sizes and organizations were detected.