Evidence of structural rearrangements and variability in pESI(like) megaplasmids of S.Infantis by resolving the pESI-like ESBL-producing variants. Evidence of structural rearrangements and variability in pESI(like) megaplasmids of S.Infantis by resolving the pESI-like ESBL-producing variants

In this study, five prototype pESI(like) plasmids, of either CTX-M-1 or CTX-M-65 ESBL producing strains, were long-read sequenced using Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) and their complete sequences were resolved. Comparison of the structure and gene content of the five sequenced plasmids, and further comparison with previously published pESI(like) sequences, indicated that although the sequence of such pESI(like) “mosaic” plasmids remains almost identical, their structures appear different and composed of regions inserted or transposed after different events.