Table Of ContentThe Biology of
A cineto bacter
Taxonomy, Clinical Importance,
Molecular Biology, Physiology,
Industrial Relevance
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Edited by K.J. Towner, E. Bergogne-Berezin, and C. A. Fewson
(FEMS Symposium No. 57)
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The Biology of
Acinetobacter
Taxonomy, Clinical Importance,
Molecular Biology, Physiology,
Industrial Relevance
Edited by
K.}. Towner
Department of Microbiology and PHLS Laboratory
University Hospital
Nottingham, United Kingdom
E. Bergogne-Berezin
Departement de Microbiologie, CHU Bichat
Paris , France
and
C. A. Fewson
Department of Biochemistry
University of Glasgow
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Springer Science+Business Media, LLC
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
The Biology of Acinetobacter: Taxonomy, Clinical Impottance, Molecular Biology,
Physiology, Industrial Relevance / edited by K. J. Towner, E. Bergogne-Bérézin, and
C. A. Fewson.
p. cm. — (FEMS symposium; no. 57)
Based on the proceedings of the 2nd International Workshop on Acinetobacter held
under the auspices of the Federation of European Microbiological Societies, on Sept.
6-7, 1990 in Paris, France.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4899-3555-7
1. Acinetobacter —Congresses. I. Towner, K.J. II. Bergogne-Bérézin, E. III. Fewson,
C. A. IV Federation of European Microbiological Societies. V. International Workshop
on Acinetobacter (2nd: 1990: Paris, France) VI. Series.
QR82.N4B56 1991 91-12826
589.9'5-dc2O CIP
Based on the proceedings of a symposium held under the auspices of the
Federation of European Microbiological Societies,
on September 6-7, 1990, in Paris, France
ISBN 978-1-4899-3555-7 ISBN 978-1-4899-3553-3 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4899-3553-3
©1 991S pringer Science+Business Media New York
Originally published by Plenum Press, New York in 1991
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1991
All rights reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming,
recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher
PREFACE
The 1st International Workshop on Acinetobacter was held on 6th
September, 1986, in Manchester, England, in association with the 14th
International Congress of Microbiology. That occasion was so well attended
and productive that there were soon discussions about how, when and where
the next meeting should be held. This time, however, there was sufficient
confidence to think of a more substantial meeting and to plan for the
proceedings to be published. It emerged that there was wide agreement that
the time was ripe to take stock of the entire biology of Acinetobacter: its
occurrence and taxonomy; its molecular biology, biochemistry and
physiology; its clinical importance and its industrial and commercial
applications. The 2nd International Workshop on Acinetobacter took
place from 6th to 7th September, 1990, at the Institut Pasteur, Paris, and was
sponsored by the Federation of European Microbiological Societies. There
were about 100 participants from 19 countries. The backbone of the meeting
consisted of 23 plenary lectures. There were 28 posters and the meeting
closed with a general discussion which went on long after the official
finishing time despite all the counter-attractions of a sunny Parisian Friday
afternoon. Indeed discussions continued while cruising along the Seine and
while dining at the top of the Tour Montparnasse. However, the vitality and
usefulness of even the most successful meeting is difficult to transmit by the
printed word. The editors decided, therefore, not simply to publish the
proceedings of the Workshop, but rather to commission a set of review
articles with the aim of giving an up-to-date and rounded picture of our
current knowledge of the genus Acinetobacter. These reviews, together
with a number of articles that expand on research talks presented at the
Workshop, form this book, the timely production of which owes much to the
expert assistance of Linda Bowering, Gerry Holmes and Gillian Johnston, to
whom the editors express their grateful thanks.
In addition to sponsorship by the Federation of European
Microbiological Societies, the Workshop was supported by financial
contributions from Beecham, Boots, Bristol-Meyers, Glaxo, ICI, Lilly, Merck
Sharpe & Dohme, Pharmuka, Roussel and Unilever, to all of whom the
organisers and participants are greatly indebted.
K.J. Towner
E. Bergogne-Berezin
C.A. Fewson
v
CONTENTS
Acinetobacter: Portrait of a Genus 1
K.J.Towner, E.Bergogne-Ben!zin, and C.A.Fewson
Taxonomy of Acinetobacter 25
P.A.D.Grimont and P.J.M.Bouvet
Typing of Acinetobacter 37
P.J.M.Bouvet
Hospital Epidemiology of Acinetobacter Infection 53
W.C.Noble
Epidemiology of Acinetobacter Strains Isolated from
Nosocomial Infections in France 63
M.L.J oly-Guillou, E.Bergogne-Berezin,
and J.F. Vieu
Molecular Epidemiological Analysis of Nosocomial
Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates 69
J.Vila, M.A.Canales, M.A.Marcos, R.Gomez-Lus,
and M.T.Jimenez de Anta
Factors Influencing the Virulence of Acinetobacter 77
J.-L.Avril and R.Mesnard
Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms in Acinetobacter 83
E.Bergogne-Berezin and M.L.J oly-Guillou
The Chromosomal B-Lactamases of the Genus Acinetobacter:
Enzymes which Challenge Our Imagination 117
J.Hood and S.G.B.Amyes
The Use of Molecular Techniques for the Location and
Characterisation of Antibiotic Resistance Genes
in Clinical Isolates of Acinetobacter 133
B.G.Elisha and L.M.Steyn
vii
Plasmid and Transposon Behaviour in Acinetobacter
K.J.Towner 149
Plasmid Stability and the Expression and Regulation
of a Marker Gene in Acinetobacter and Other
Gram-negative Hosts
C.Winstanley, J.A.W.Morgan, J.R.Saunders, 169
and R.W.Pickup
Random Insertional Mutagenesis in Acinetobacter
B.Vosman, R.Kok, and H.J.Hellingwerf 183
Genetic Organisation of Acinetobacter
A.Vivian 191
Evolution of Genes for the B-Ketoadipate Pathway
in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus
L.N.Ornston and E.L.Neidle 201
Organisation, Potential Regulatory Elements and
Evolution of Trp Genes in Acinetobacter
G.Haspel, V.Kishan, and W.Hillen 239
Codon Usage in Acinetobacter Structural Genes
P.J.White, I.S.Hunter, and C.A.Fewson 251
The Outer Membrane of Acinetobacter: Structure-
Function Relationships
P.Borneleit and H.-P.Kleber 259
Energy Reserves in Acinetobacter
L.M.Fixter and M.K.Sherwani 273
Energy Generation and the Glucose Dehydrogenase
Pathway in Acinetobacter
J.A.Duine 295
Acinetobacter - Citric Acid Cyclist with a Difference
P.D.J.Weitzman 313
Metabolism of Alkanes by Acinetobacter
O.Asperger and H.-P.Kleber 323
Metabolism of Aromatic Compounds by Acinetobacter
C.A.Fewson 351
Metabolism of Cyclohexane and Related Alicyclic
Compounds by Acinetobacter
P.W.Trudgill 391
viii
Metabolism of Trimethylammonium Compounds
by Acinetobacter 403
H.-P.Kleber
Applications of Acinetobacter as an Industrial
Microorganism 411
D.L.Gutnick, R.AHon, C.Levy, R.Petter,
and W.Minas
Index 443
ix
ACINETOBACTER: PORTRAIT OF A GENUS
K.J.Towneru, E.Bergogne-Berezinba nd C.A.Fewson'
'Department of Microbiology & PHLS Laboratory
University Hospital
Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK
bLaboratoire de Microbiologie
CHU Bichat
75877 Paris Cedex 18, France
'Department of Biochemistry
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
INTRODUCTION
The genus Acinetobacter originally proposed by Brisou and Prevot
(1954) comprised a heterogenous collection of non-motile Gram-negative
organisms which could be distinguished from other similar organisms by
their lack of pigmentation (Ingram and Shewan, 1960). Now classified in the
family N eisseriaceae, the present generic description (Juni, 1984) allows
unambiguous identification of strains to the genus level. A difficulty arises in
that many current members of the genus have been classified previously
under a variety of different names (reviewed by Henriksen, 1973), and much
of the early literature concerning this group of organisms is, therefore,
difficult to interpret owing to confusion over nomenclature and the lack of a
widely-accepted classification scheme. Delineation of species within the
genus is still the subject of much research. The latest developments are
described in detail elsewhere (Grimont and Bouvet, this volume), but the
reader should bear in mind that many of the Acinetobacter strains
described in this volume still occupy a somewhat nebulous taxonomic
position within the genus.
Why the interest in this genus? Acinetobacters are ubiquitous
organisms in the environment and have formed the subject of several
