Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) isoforms among Staphylococcus aureus lineages isolated from hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a Staphylococcus aureus virulence factor codified by lukSF -PV genes. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at lukSF -PV genes can lead to two PVL sequence variants (R and H) generating different PVL isoforms. This study analyzed lukSF -PV genes SNPs among four different clonal lineages (STs/CC 1, 5, 8, and 30) of nine S. aureus isolated at Brazilian hospitals. The sequenced products showed SNPs at seven sites (positions 121, 470, 527, 663, 856, 1396, and 1729), leading to non-synonymous substitutions in all isolates investigated. Our findings showed new R and H isoforms variants in S. aureus isolated in Brazil and suggest a possible relationship between H2b isoform and the ST30/CC30 lineage.