Draft Genome Sequence of a mcr-1/IncI2-carrying multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli B1: ST101 isolated from meat and meat products in Egypt.

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of plasmid-encoded colistin resistance among gram-negative bacteria isolated from meat and meat products in Egypt and to report the draft genome sequence of an mcr-1/IncI2-carrying multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli B1:ST101.A total of 128 colistin-resistant strains were isolated from different meat and meat product samples in different cities in Egypt. Multiplex PCR screening for plasmid-mediated colistin-resistance genes was performed. WGS was performed using an Illumina NextSeq platform and was assembled using CLC Genomics Workbench 7.5.1.A single mcr-1-positive multidrug-resistant E. coli strain was isolated from beef sausages in Egypt. The genome size of E. coli strain was calculated at 5,044,715 bp, comprising a total of 226 contigs, with a G + C content of 50.5%. The E. coli strain belonged to sequence type ST101 (phylogroup B1). The mcr-1 gene was located on an IncI2 type self-conjugative plasmid of 64.6-kb in size. This strain showed a multidrug-resistant phenotype with an MIC of colistin at 4 mg/L. A large series of acquired antibiotic resistance genes was identified, including those encoding resistance to colistin (mcr-1), beta-lactams (bla), phenicol (floR), trimethoprim (dfrA12), aminoglycosides (aac(3)-IIa, aph(3'')-Ib and aadA2), macrolides (mphA and mdfA), tetracycline (tetA), sulfonamides (sul1 and sul2), and quinolones (qnrS1).Here we reported the first draft genome sequence of an mcr-1/IncI2-carrying multidrug-resistant E. coli B1:ST101 isolated from beef sausage in Egypt. This study highlights the potential role played by food products in the spread of colistin resistance to humans.