Genomic analysis of Oceanotoga teriensis strain UFV_LIMV02, a multidrug-resistant thermophilic bacterium isolated from an offshore oil reservoir

Bacteria of the species Oceanotoga teriensis belong to the Family Petrotogaceae, are moderately thermophilic and are included in the group of thiosulfate-reducing bactéria (TRB), being able to accelerate corrosion in metallic structures significantly. The O. teriensis strain UFV_LIMV02 was isolated from water samples from the separator of an offshore oil extraction platform in the Campos basin in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). In this work, we describe the man phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, mainly related to hydrogen sulfide production and antimicrobial resistance to different classes of antibiotics. We also systematically investigate the presence of CRISPR-Cas loci and prophages. Through H2S titration, it was possible to verify thexistence of 150 ppm of hydrogen sulfide in the solution. It presented a genome with 2,812,778 bp in size, with 26% of GC content, organized into 34 contigs 2,629 genes encoding candidate proteins, and identified 51 genes of different RNAs. The search for CRISPRs systems in the genome of the isolate allowed us to identify the presence of four CRISPRs arrays, classified as type I-B and III-B, with the presence of 272 different spacers, which could provide the strain with immunity to other mobile genetic elements and infection by bacteriophages. Genomic analysis using RAST revealed the presence of resistance genes for the class of beta-lactams and fluoroquinolones; however, when evaluating the antimicrobial resistance of the isolate using the disk diffusion technique, it was possible to confirm not only the resistance to B-lactams and fluoroquinolones, but also to four other classes of antibiotics: aminoglycoside, sulfonamide, lincosamide, and rifamycin, a total of 14 antibiotics, probably due to the presence of mechanisms capable of expelling the antibiotic from the cells, such as efflux pumps, allowing them to grow in the presence of these antimicrobials. The results found in this study provide indications that residues from offshore oil exploration may represent a risk for the dissemination of ARGs due to the presence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. More comprehensive studies are needed on the microbial community present in oil tailings to assess the risks to public health.