Bacteroides uniformis as a donor or recipient organism for genetic engineering

Bacteroides uniformis belongs to the family Bacteroidaceae and is an essential component of the intestinal microbiome of humans and animals. The bacterium is also considered an indicator of fecal contamination of water bodies. B. uniformis is an obligately anaerobic, Gram-negative, bile-resistant, non-spore-forming, catalase-negative, rod-shaped microorganism belonging to the Bacteroides fragilis group. Some Bacteroides spp., especially strains of B. fragilis, are capable of forming a polysaccharide capsule, hemolysins, neuraminidases, and enterotoxins. However, these or other specific virulence factors have not yet been identified in B. uniformis. B. uniformis strains Antibiotic resistance against clindamycin, penicillin, linezolid, moxifloxacin, chloramphenicol and various beta-lactam antibiotics. B. uniformis is opportunistic pathogen . Thus, the bacterium can cause serious infections in cases of injury to the intestinal wall or functionally impaired intestinal permeability. gastrointestinal infections These include sepsis, peritonitis, osteomyelitis, meningitis, or abscesses. These infections occur in both immunosuppressed and immunocompetent individuals. B. uniformis CECT 7771 is a potentially probiotic strain originally isolated from the stool of healthy infants. In laboratory tests with mice or rats, oral administration of B. uniformis CECT 7771, no clinical or histological side effects were detected over a period of up to 90 days. However, a genome analysis identified genes for potential antibiotic resistance in the strain. In TRBA 466 "Classification of Prokaryotes (Bacteria and Archaea)", B. uniformis is assigned to risk group 2. In its current statement, the ZKBS classifies Bacteroides uniformis according to Section 5 Paragraph 1 GenTSV in conjunction with the criteria in Annex 1 GenTSV as donor and recipient organisms for genetic engineering work in the Risk group 2 The justification states that B. uniformis is ubiquitous and naturally occurs in the intestines of humans and animals. However, the bacterium can cause severe infections in humans if it translocates to the intestines. Initial animal experiments with the B. uniformis CECT 7771 strain showed no evidence of a potential risk to mice or rats. However, until further data are available, a potential risk to humans cannot be ruled out.

The current ZKBS statement on B. uniformis can be found at File number 45241.0230 can be retrieved.