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The development of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) strains has had major clinical implications. The complete genomic sequence of the reported first strain of vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis (strain V583) has been completed.
V583 contains 3 plasmids and 3337 open reading frames that are predicted to encode proteins on its chromosome. More than 25% of the genome -- a very high percentage compared with other bacterial genomes -- comprises mobile or exogenously acquired elements of DNA. Vancomycin resistance appears to be linked to a previously unknown mobile element, which has similarities to the vancomycin-resistance vanB conjugative transposon and was likely acquired by lateral gene transfer. V583 also has a mutation in vncS…