mecA

penicillin-binding protein 2'

Overview

Drug Classes
methicillin, oxacillin, beta-lactam, cephalothin, cefazolin, cefoxitin, cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin
Organisms
Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp., Staphylococcus epidermidis +13 more
Alleles
2
Papers
11
Allele Variants2
AllelePapersDrug ClassesOrganismsCountriesYearsStatus
MecA10methicillin, oxacillin +7Staphylococcus aureus +15Portugal|USA|Japan|Poland|Hungary|Denmark, Europe|North America|Asia, Pennsylvania, Canada1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2023Not Validated
mec1methicillinStaphylococcus aureusIreland2005Not Validated
Papers11
1

Cloning and nucleotide sequence determination of the entire mec DNA of pre-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus N315.

PMID 10348769 · 1999

The study identifies the mecA gene, which encodes a low-affinity penicillin-binding protein responsible for methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. The gene is part of the mec DNA, which is integrated into the chromosome of pre-methicillin-resistant S. aureus N315.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
penicillin-binding protein 2'
Validation Method
cloning and sequence analysis

Mechanism

chromosomal gene encoding a low-affinity penicillin-binding protein that confers methicillin resistance

Confers Resistance To

methicillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus
2

Comparison of susceptibility testing methods with mecA gene analysis for determining oxacillin (methicillin) resistance in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp.

PMID 10449481 · 1999

The study evaluates various susceptibility testing methods for detecting oxacillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp., highlighting the importance of the mecA gene in mediating resistance.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
a membrane-bound penicillin-binding protein (PBP2a) that has low affinity for beta-lactam antibiotics
Validation Method
PCR detection of the mecA gene

Confers Resistance To

oxacillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus
coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp.
3

A new class of genetic element, staphylococcus cassette chromosome mec, encodes methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.

PMID 10817707 · 2000

The study identifies the mecA gene, which encodes a low-affinity penicillin-binding protein responsible for methicillin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, the ccrA and ccrB genes, which encode site-specific recombinases, were found to mediate the integration and excision of the SCC mec element, a novel genetic element associated with methicillin resistance.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
penicillin-binding protein
Validation Method
cloning and expression in S. aureus, demonstrating reduced susceptibility to methicillin

Mechanism

production of a low-affinity penicillin-binding protein (PBP 2′) that is not inhibited by β-lactam antibiotics

Confers Resistance To

methicillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus
4

Rapid detection of mecA-positive and mecA-negative coagulase-negative staphylococci by an anti-penicillin binding protein 2a slide latex agglutination test.

PMID 10834952 · 2000

The study evaluated the MRSA-Screen latex agglutination test for detecting mecA-positive coagulase-negative staphylococci, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity for methicillin resistance.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
penicillin-binding protein 2a
Validation Method
PCR and oxacillin MIC testing

Confers Resistance To

methicillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Staphylococcus haemolyticus
Staphylococcus hominis
Staphylococcus capitis subsp. capitis
Staphylococcus capitis subsp. urealyticus
Staphylococcus caprae
Staphylococcus cohnii
Staphylococcus lugdunensis
Staphylococcus saprophyticus
Staphylococcus schleiferi
Staphylococcus simulans
Staphylococcus warneri
Staphylococcus xylosus
5

Genetic organization of the downstream region of the mecA element in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates carrying different polymorphisms of this region.

PMID 10858352 · 2000

The study characterizes the genetic organization of the mecA element in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates, focusing on the downstream region and identifying variations in the genetic structure associated with different polymorphisms of the mecA gene.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a)
Validation Method
cloning and sequencing of the downstream region of the mecA element

Mechanism

chromosomal gene encoding a modified penicillin-binding protein that confers resistance to β-lactam antibiotics

Confers Resistance To

methicillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus

Isolation Details

Country
Portugal|USA|Japan|Poland|Hungary|Denmark
6

Antimicrobial Resistance Mechanisms and Molecular Detection Techniques

PMID 11585788 · 2023

The paper discusses molecular detection methods for antimicrobial resistance, focusing on genes like mecA and blaZ, which confer resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in staphylococci.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
penicillin-binding protein
Validation Method
molecular detection

Mechanism

methicillin resistance

Confers Resistance To

methicillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus
coagulase-negative staphylococci

Isolation Details

Country
Europe|North America|Asia
7

Jumping the barrier to beta-lactam resistance in Staphylococcus aureus.

PMID 12949098 · 2003

The study identifies mecA as a gene that confers beta-lactam resistance in Staphylococcus aureus by encoding PBP2a, a penicillin-binding protein that is resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics. The research shows that the expression of mecA is regulated by mecR1-mecI and that the presence of regulatory genes influences the stability and expression of mecA in different genetic backgrounds.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
penicillin-binding protein 2a
Validation Method
expression in S. aureus strains and detection of PBP2a via Western blot

Mechanism

confers resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics by altering the target site

Confers Resistance To

beta-lactam

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus
8

Vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolate from a patient in Pennsylvania.

PMID 14693550 · 2004

The study reports the second VRSA isolate in the United States, which contains the vanA gene responsible for vancomycin resistance and other resistance genes such as mecA, erm(A), and aac(6')-aph(2").

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
methicillin resistance determinant
Validation Method
PCR and DNA sequence analysis

Confers Resistance To

oxacillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus

Isolation Details

Country
Pennsylvania
9

New quadriplex PCR assay for detection of methicillin and mupirocin resistance and simultaneous discrimination of Staphylococcus aureus from coagulase-negative staphylococci.

PMID 15528678 · 2004

The study developed a quadriplex PCR assay to detect methicillin and mupirocin resistance in Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci, targeting the mecA and mupA genes.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
low-affinity penicillin-binding protein (PBP2a) that confers resistance to methicillin
Validation Method
PCR assay for the mecA gene

Confers Resistance To

methicillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus
coagulase-negative staphylococci
10

Seven novel variants of the staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates from Ireland.

PMID 15855533 · 2005

The study identified seven novel variants of the staphylococcal chromosomal cassette mec (SCC mec) in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates from Ireland. These variants include SCC mec IIA, IIB, IIC, IID, IIE, IVE, and IVF, which exhibit distinct genomic structures and differences in the mec complex and associated regions.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
mec
Encodes
beta-lactam resistance determinant
Validation Method
PCR and sequencing

Confers Resistance To

methicillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus

Isolation Details

Country
Ireland
11

Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Canada.

PMID 15963278 · 2005

The study identified two major clonal groups of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Saskatchewan, Canada. Clonal group A was associated with a long-term care facility and exhibited multidrug resistance, while clonal group B was community-associated and showed susceptibility to most antimicrobial agents except for high-level mupirocin resistance. Both groups harbored the mecA gene, which confers resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics.

Gene Information

Gene Name
mecA
Allele
MecA
Encodes
penicillin-binding protein 2a
Validation Method
PCR and PFGE

Confers Resistance To

oxacillincephalothincefazolincefoxitincloxacillindicloxacillinnafcillin

Organisms Tested In

Staphylococcus aureus

Isolation Details

Country
Canada
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