First Detailed Genetic Characterization of the Structural Organization of Type III Arginine Catabolic Mobile Elements (ACMEs) Harbored by Staphylococcus epidermidis using Whole Genome Sequencing.

The type III arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) was detected in three Staphylococcus epidermidis oral isolates recovered from separate patients (one healthy, one healthy with dental implants, and one with periodontal disease) based on ACME-arc-operon- and ACME-opp3-operon-directed PCR. These isolates were subjected to whole-genome sequencing to characterize the precise structural organization of ACME III for the first time, which also revealed that all three isolates were the same sequence type, 5T329.