51
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Tang T, Chen Y, Du Y, Yao B, Liu M. Effects of functional modules and bacterial clusters response on transmission performance of antibiotic resistance genes under antibiotic stress during anaerobic digestion of livestock wastewater. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 441:129870. [PMID: 36063716 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The formation and transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have attracted increasing attention. It is unclear whether the internal mechanisms by which antibiotics affect horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs during anaerobic digestion (AD) were influenced by dose and type. We investigated the effects of two major antibiotics (oxytetracycline, OTC, and sulfamethoxazole, SMX) on ARGs during AD according to antibiotic concentration in livestock wastewater influent. The low-dose antibiotic (0.5 mg/L) increased ROS and SOS responses, promoting the formation of ARGs. Meanwhile, low-dose antibiotics could also promote the spread of ARGs by promoting pili, communication responses, and the type IV secretion system (T4SS). However, different types and doses of antibiotics would lead to changes in the above functional modules and then affect the enrichment of ARGs. With the increasing dose of SMX, the advantages of pili and communication responses would gradually change. In the OTC system, low-dose has the strongest promoting ability in both pili and communication responses. Similarly, an increase in the dose of SMX would change T4SS from facilitation to inhibition, while OTC completely inhibits T4SS. Microbial and network analysis also revealed that low-dose antibiotics were more favorable for the growth of host bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taotao Tang
- College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, PR China
| | - Ying Chen
- College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, PR China
| | - Ye Du
- College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, PR China
| | - Bing Yao
- College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, PR China
| | - Min Liu
- College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, PR China.
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52
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Yu Z, Henderson IR, Guo J. Non-caloric artificial sweeteners modulate conjugative transfer of multi-drug resistance plasmid in the gut microbiota. Gut Microbes 2023; 15:2157698. [PMID: 36524841 PMCID: PMC9762752 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2022.2157698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-caloric artificial sweeteners have been widely permitted as table sugar substitutes with high intensities of sweetness. They can pass through the intestinal tract without significant metabolization and frequently encounter the gut microbiome, which is composed of diverse bacterial species and is a pool of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, little is known about whether these sweeteners could accelerate the spread of ARGs in the gut microbiome. Here, we established an in vitro conjugation model by using Escherichia coli that carries chromosome-inserted Tn7 lacIq-pLpp-mCherry and plasmid-encoded gfpmut3b gene as the donor and murine fecal bacteria as the recipient. We found that four commonly used artificial sweeteners (saccharin, sucralose, aspartame, and acesulfame potassium) can increase reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and promote plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer to the gut microbiome. Cell sorting and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing analysis of fecal samples reveal that the tested sweeteners can promote the broad-host-range plasmid permissiveness to both Gram-negative and Gram-positive gut bacteria. The increased plasmid permissiveness was also validated with a human pathogen Klebsiella pneumoniae. Collectively, our study demonstrates that non-caloric artificial sweeteners can induce oxidative stress and boost the plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer of ARGs among the gut microbiota and a human pathogen. Considering the soaring consumption of these sweeteners and the abundance of mobile ARGs in the human gut, our results highlight the necessity of performing a thorough risk assessment of antibiotic resistance associated with the usage of artificial sweeteners as food additives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhigang Yu
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Ian R Henderson
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology (Formerly AWMC), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
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53
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Feng X, Hua R, Zhang W, Liu Y, Luo C, Li T, Chen X, Zhu H, Wang Y, Lu Y. Comparison of the gut microbiome and resistome in captive African and Asian elephants on the same diet. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:986382. [PMID: 36875997 PMCID: PMC9978182 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.986382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Elephants are endangered species and threatened with extinction. They are monogastric herbivorous, hindgut fermenters and their digestive strategy requires them to consume large amounts of low quality forage. The gut microbiome is important to their metabolism, immune regulation, and ecological adaptation. Our study investigated the structure and function of the gut microbiota as well as the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in captive African and Asian elephants on the same diet. Results showed that captive African and Asian elephants had distinct gut bacterial composition. MetaStats analysis showed that the relative abundance of Spirochaetes (FDR = 0.00) and Verrucomicrobia (FDR = 0.01) at the phylum level as well as Spirochaetaceae (FDR = 0.01) and Akkermansiaceae (FDR = 0.02) at the family level varied between captive African and Asian elephants. Among the top ten functional subcategories at level 2 (57 seed pathway) of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database, the relative gene abundance of cellular community-prokaryotes, membrane transport, and carbohydrate metabolism in African elephants were significantly lower than those in Asian elephants (0.98 vs. 1.03%, FDR = 0.04; 1.25 vs. 1.43%, FDR = 0.03; 3.39 vs. 3.63%; FDR = 0.02). Among the top ten functional subcategories at level 2 (CAZy family) of CAZy database, MetaStats analysis showed that African elephants had higher relative gene abundance of Glycoside Hydrolases family 28 (GH 28) compared to Asian elephants (0.10 vs. 0.08%, FDR = 0.03). Regarding the antibiotic resistance genes carried by gut microbes, MetaStats analysis showed that African elephants had significantly higher relative abundance of vanO (FDR = 0.00), tetQ (FDR = 0.04), and efrA (FDR = 0.04) than Asian elephants encoding resistance for glycopeptide, tetracycline, and macrolide/rifamycin/fluoroquinolone antibiotic, respectively. In conclusion, captive African and Asian elephants on the same diet have distinct gut microbial communities. Our findings established the ground work for future research on improving gut health of captive elephants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Feng
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Rong Hua
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Captive Wildlife Technologies, Beijing Zoo, Beijing, China
| | - Wanying Zhang
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Yuhang Liu
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Caiyu Luo
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Tonghao Li
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Xiaolin Chen
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Hui Zhu
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Youcong Wang
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Yan Lu
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Captive Wildlife Technologies, Beijing Zoo, Beijing, China
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54
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Palomino A, Gewurz D, DeVine L, Zajmi U, Moralez J, Abu-Rumman F, Smith RP, Lopatkin AJ. Metabolic genes on conjugative plasmids are highly prevalent in Escherichia coli and can protect against antibiotic treatment. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:151-162. [PMID: 36261510 PMCID: PMC9750983 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-022-01329-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids often encode antibiotic resistance genes that provide selective advantages to their bacterial hosts during antibiotic treatment. Previous studies have predominantly considered these established genes as the primary benefit of antibiotic-mediated plasmid dissemination. However, many genes involved in cellular metabolic processes may also protect against antibiotic treatment and provide selective advantages. Despite the diversity of such metabolic genes and their potential ecological impact, their plasmid-borne prevalence, co-occurrence with canonical antibiotic resistance genes, and phenotypic effects remain widely understudied. To address this gap, we focused on Escherichia coli, which can often act as a pathogen, and is known to spread antibiotic resistance genes via conjugation. We characterized the presence of metabolic genes on 1,775 transferrable plasmids and compared their distribution to that of known antibiotic resistance genes. We found high abundance of genes involved in cellular metabolism and stress response. Several of these genes demonstrated statistically significant associations or disassociations with known antibiotic resistance genes at the strain level, indicating that each gene type may impact the spread of the other across hosts. Indeed, in vitro characterization of 13 statistically relevant metabolic genes confirmed that their phenotypic impact on antibiotic susceptibility was largely consistent with in situ relationships. These results emphasize the ecological importance of metabolic genes on conjugal plasmids, and that selection dynamics of E. coli pathogens arises as a complex consequence of both canonical mechanisms and their interactions with metabolic pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alana Palomino
- grid.470930.90000 0001 2182 2351Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Danya Gewurz
- grid.470930.90000 0001 2182 2351Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Lela DeVine
- grid.470930.90000 0001 2182 2351Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Ujana Zajmi
- grid.470930.90000 0001 2182 2351Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Jenifer Moralez
- grid.470930.90000 0001 2182 2351Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027 USA
| | - Fatima Abu-Rumman
- grid.261241.20000 0001 2168 8324Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 USA
| | - Robert P. Smith
- grid.261241.20000 0001 2168 8324Department of Biological Sciences, Halmos College of Arts and Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 USA ,grid.261241.20000 0001 2168 8324Cell Therapy Institute, Kiran Patel College of Allopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314 USA
| | - Allison J. Lopatkin
- grid.470930.90000 0001 2182 2351Department of Biology, Barnard College, New York, NY 10027 USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Data Science Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA ,grid.21729.3f0000000419368729Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027 USA ,grid.16416.340000 0004 1936 9174Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627 USA
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55
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Bethke JH, Ma HR, Tsoi R, Cheng L, Xiao M, You L. Vertical and horizontal gene transfer tradeoffs direct plasmid fitness. Mol Syst Biol 2022; 19:e11300. [PMID: 36573357 PMCID: PMC9912019 DOI: 10.15252/msb.202211300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmid fitness is directed by two orthogonal processes-vertical transfer through cell division and horizontal transfer through conjugation. When considered individually, improvements in either mode of transfer can promote how well a plasmid spreads and persists. Together, however, the metabolic cost of conjugation could create a tradeoff that constrains plasmid evolution. Here, we present evidence for the presence, consequences, and molecular basis of a conjugation-growth tradeoff across 40 plasmids derived from clinical Escherichia coli pathogens. We discover that most plasmids operate below a conjugation efficiency threshold for major growth effects, indicating strong natural selection for vertical transfer. Below this threshold, E. coli demonstrates a remarkable growth tolerance to over four orders of magnitude change in conjugation efficiency. This tolerance fades as nutrients become scarce and horizontal transfer attracts a greater share of host resources. Our results provide insight into evolutionary constraints directing plasmid fitness and strategies to combat the spread of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan H Bethke
- Department of Molecular Genetics and MicrobiologyDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA
| | - Helena R Ma
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA,Center for Quantitative BiodesignDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA
| | - Ryan Tsoi
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA
| | - Li Cheng
- BGI‐ShenzhenShenzhenChina,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI‐ShenzhenShenzhenChina,School of Biology and Biological EngineeringSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
| | - Minfeng Xiao
- BGI‐ShenzhenShenzhenChina,Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Unknown Pathogen Identification, BGI‐ShenzhenShenzhenChina
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Molecular Genetics and MicrobiologyDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA,Department of Biomedical EngineeringDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA,Center for Quantitative BiodesignDuke UniversityNCDurhamUSA,School of Biology and Biological EngineeringSouth China University of TechnologyGuangzhouChina
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56
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Choudhary MI, Römling U, Nadeem F, Bilal HM, Zafar M, Jahan H, ur-Rahman A. Innovative Strategies to Overcome Antimicrobial Resistance and Tolerance. Microorganisms 2022; 11:microorganisms11010016. [PMID: 36677308 PMCID: PMC9863313 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11010016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance and tolerance are natural phenomena that arose due to evolutionary adaptation of microorganisms against various xenobiotic agents. These adaptation mechanisms make the current treatment options challenging as it is increasingly difficult to treat a broad range of infections, associated biofilm formation, intracellular and host adapted microbes, as well as persister cells and microbes in protected niches. Therefore, novel strategies are needed to identify the most promising drug targets to overcome the existing hurdles in the treatment of infectious diseases. Furthermore, discovery of novel drug candidates is also much needed, as few novel antimicrobial drugs have been introduced in the last two decades. In this review, we focus on the strategies that may help in the development of innovative small molecules which can interfere with microbial resistance mechanisms. We also highlight the recent advances in optimization of growth media which mimic host conditions and genome scale molecular analyses of microbial response against antimicrobial agents. Furthermore, we discuss the identification of antibiofilm molecules and their mechanisms of action in the light of the distinct physiology and metabolism of biofilm cells. This review thus provides the most recent advances in host mimicking growth media for effective drug discovery and development of antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Iqbal Choudhary
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
- H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Ute Römling
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence: (U.R.); (H.J.); Tel.: +46-8-5248-7319 (U.R.); +92-21-111-232-292 (ext. 301) (H.J.)
| | - Faiza Nadeem
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Hafiz Muhammad Bilal
- H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Munirah Zafar
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Humera Jahan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
- Correspondence: (U.R.); (H.J.); Tel.: +46-8-5248-7319 (U.R.); +92-21-111-232-292 (ext. 301) (H.J.)
| | - Atta ur-Rahman
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
- H. E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
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57
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Xu X, Fu H, Wan G, Huang J, Zhou Z, Rao Y, Liu L, Wen C. Prevalence and genetic diversity of Aeromonas veronii isolated from aquaculture systems in the Poyang Lake area, China. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:1042007. [PMID: 36578578 PMCID: PMC9791064 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1042007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The area around Poyang Lake is the main aquaculture area in Jiangxi Province, China, and an important base for the supply of freshwater aquatic products. Aquaculture in the Poyang Lake area is severely threatened by diseases caused by bacterial pathogens, and Aeromonas veronii has been the main pathogen in recent years. In this paper, ERIC-PCR genotyping, virulence gene and antimicrobial resistance gene detection, and drug susceptibility tests were carried out on 46 A. veronii isolates obtained from aquaculture systems in the Poyang Lake area from 2016 to 2020. The results showed that the A. veronii strains in the Poyang Lake area had high genetic diversity, and 46 strains produced 36 ERIC genotypes. There were no geographical and temporal differences in the cluster analysis results and no dominant clones. All 13 virulence genes tested were detected, and all isolates had harbored 2 or more virulence genes, with a maximum of 12 virulence genes detected. Among the 22 antimicrobial resistance genes selected, 15 were detected; 97.8% of the isolates contained 2 or more antimicrobial resistance genes, with a maximum of 9 antimicrobial resistance genes. Drug susceptibility tests showed that some strains were resistant to a variety of traditionally effective drugs for Aeromomas, such as enrofloxacin and florfenicol. This study provides a reference for exploring the impact of aquaculture in the Poyang Lake area on public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiandong Xu
- College of Life Science, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Huiyun Fu
- Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Guoyuan Wan
- Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Jiangfeng Huang
- Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Zhiyong Zhou
- Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Yi Rao
- Fisheries Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, China
| | - Lihui Liu
- Key Laboratory of Fishery Drug Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Animal Immune Technology, Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chungen Wen
- College of Life Science, Education Ministry Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China,*Correspondence: Chungen Wen,
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58
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Biofilms preserve the transmissibility of a multi-drug resistance plasmid. NPJ Biofilms Microbiomes 2022; 8:95. [PMID: 36481746 PMCID: PMC9732292 DOI: 10.1038/s41522-022-00357-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Self-transmissible multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids are a major health concern because they can spread antibiotic resistance to pathogens. Even though most pathogens form biofilms, little is known about how MDR plasmids persist and evolve in biofilms. We hypothesize that (i) biofilms act as refugia of MDR plasmids by retaining them in the absence of antibiotics longer than well-mixed planktonic populations and that (ii) the evolutionary trajectories that account for the improvement of plasmid persistence over time differ between biofilms and planktonic populations. In this study, we evolved Acinetobacter baumannii with an MDR plasmid in biofilm and planktonic populations with and without antibiotic selection. In the absence of selection, biofilm populations were better able to maintain the MDR plasmid than planktonic populations. In planktonic populations, plasmid persistence improved rapidly but was accompanied by a loss of genes required for the horizontal transfer of plasmids. In contrast, in biofilms, most plasmids retained their transfer genes, but on average, plasmid, persistence improved less over time. Our results showed that biofilms can act as refugia of MDR plasmids and favor the horizontal mode of plasmid transfer, which has important implications for the spread of MDR.
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59
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Bacterial Resistance to β-Lactam Antibiotics in Municipal Wastewater: Insights from a Full-Scale Treatment Plant in Poland. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10122323. [PMID: 36557576 PMCID: PMC9783957 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10122323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigated enzymatic and genetic determinants of bacterial resistance to β-lactam antibiotics in the biocenosis involved in the process of biological treatment of wastewater by activated sludge. The frequency of bacteria resistant to selected antibiotics and the activity of enzymes responsible for resistance to β-lactam antibiotics were estimated. The phenomenon of selection and spread of a number of genes determining antibiotic resistance was traced using PCR and gene sequencing. An increase in the percentage of bacteria showing resistance to β-lactam antibiotics in the microflora of wastewater during the treatment process was found. The highest number of resistant microorganisms, including multi-resistant strains, was recorded in the aeration chamber. Significant amounts of these bacteria were also present in treated wastewater, where the percentage of penicillin-resistant bacteria exceeded 50%, while those resistant to the new generation β-lactam antibiotics meropenem and imipenem were found at 8.8% and 6.4%, respectively. Antibiotic resistance was repeatedly accompanied by the activity of enzymes such as carbapenemases, metallo-β-lactamases, cephalosporinases and β-lactamases with an extended substrate spectrum. The activity of carbapenemases was shown in up to 97% of the multi-resistant bacteria. Studies using molecular biology techniques showed a high frequency of genes determining resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, especially the blaTEM1 gene. The analysis of the nucleotide sequences of blaTEM1 gene variants present in bacteria at different stages of wastewater treatment showed 50-100% mutual similarity of.
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60
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Wang T, Weiss A, Aqeel A, Wu F, Lopatkin AJ, David LA, You L. Horizontal gene transfer enables programmable gene stability in synthetic microbiota. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:1245-1252. [PMID: 36050493 PMCID: PMC10018779 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-022-01114-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The functions of many microbial communities exhibit remarkable stability despite fluctuations in the compositions of these communities. To date, a mechanistic understanding of this function-composition decoupling is lacking. Statistical mechanisms have been commonly hypothesized to explain such decoupling. Here, we proposed that dynamic mechanisms, mediated by horizontal gene transfer (HGT), also enable the independence of functions from the compositions of microbial communities. We combined theoretical analysis with numerical simulations to illustrate that HGT rates can determine the stability of gene abundance in microbial communities. We further validated these predictions using engineered microbial consortia of different complexities transferring one or more than a dozen clinically isolated plasmids, as well as through the reanalysis of data from the literature. Our results demonstrate a generalizable strategy to program the gene stability of microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Andrea Weiss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ammara Aqeel
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Feilun Wu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Allison J Lopatkin
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Lawrence A David
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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61
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Epidemiology of Plasmid Lineages Mediating the Spread of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamases among Clinical Escherichia coli. mSystems 2022; 7:e0051922. [PMID: 35993734 PMCID: PMC9601178 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00519-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) among clinical isolates of Escherichia coli has been increasing, with this spread driven by ESBL-encoding plasmids. However, the epidemiology of ESBL-disseminating plasmids remains understudied, obscuring the roles of individual plasmid lineages in ESBL spread. To address this, we performed an in-depth genomic investigation of 149 clinical ESBL-like E. coli isolates from a tertiary care hospital. We obtained high-quality assemblies for 446 plasmids, revealing an extensive map of plasmid sharing that crosses time, space, and bacterial sequence type boundaries. Through a sequence-based network, we identified specific plasmid lineages that are responsible for the dissemination of major ESBLs. Notably, we demonstrate that IncF plasmids separate into 2 distinct lineages that are enriched for different ESBLs and occupy distinct host ranges. Our work provides a detailed picture of plasmid-mediated spread of ESBLs, demonstrating the extensive sequence diversity within identified lineages, while highlighting the genetic elements that underlie the persistence of these plasmids within the clinical E. coli population. IMPORTANCE The increasing incidence of nosocomial infections with extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli represents a significant threat to public health, given the limited treatment options available for such infections. The rapid ESBL spread is suggested to be driven by localization of the resistance genes on conjugative plasmids. Here, we identify the contributions of different plasmid lineages in the nosocomial spread of ESBLs. We provide further support for plasmid-mediated spread of ESBLs but demonstrate that some ESBL genes rely on dissemination through plasmids more than the others. We identify key plasmid lineages that are enriched in major ESBL genes and highlight the encoded genetic elements that facilitate the transmission and stable maintenance of these plasmid groups within the clinical E. coli population. Overall, our work provides valuable insight into the dissemination of ESBLs through plasmids, furthering our understating of factors underlying the increased prevalence of these genes in nosocomial settings.
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62
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Pu L, Shamir R. 3CAC: improving the classification of phages and plasmids in metagenomic assemblies using assembly graphs. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:ii56-ii61. [PMID: 36124804 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Bacteriophages and plasmids usually coexist with their host bacteria in microbial communities and play important roles in microbial evolution. Accurately identifying sequence contigs as phages, plasmids and bacterial chromosomes in mixed metagenomic assemblies is critical for further unraveling their functions. Many classification tools have been developed for identifying either phages or plasmids in metagenomic assemblies. However, only two classifiers, PPR-Meta and viralVerify, were proposed to simultaneously identify phages and plasmids in mixed metagenomic assemblies. Due to the very high fraction of chromosome contigs in the assemblies, both tools achieve high precision in the classification of chromosomes but perform poorly in classifying phages and plasmids. Short contigs in these assemblies are often wrongly classified or classified as uncertain. RESULTS Here we present 3CAC, a new three-class classifier that improves the precision of phage and plasmid classification. 3CAC starts with an initial three-class classification generated by existing classifiers and improves the classification of short contigs and contigs with low confidence classification by using proximity in the assembly graph. Evaluation on simulated metagenomes and on real human gut microbiome samples showed that 3CAC outperformed PPR-Meta and viralVerify in both precision and recall, and increased F1-score by 10-60 percentage points. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The 3CAC software is available on https://github.com/Shamir-Lab/3CAC. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianrong Pu
- The Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Ron Shamir
- The Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
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Amábile-Cuevas CF. Myths and Misconceptions around Antibiotic Resistance: Time to Get Rid of Them. Infect Chemother 2022; 54:393-408. [PMID: 36047302 PMCID: PMC9533159 DOI: 10.3947/ic.2022.0060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The antibiotic resistance arena is fraught with myths and misconceptions, leading to wrong strategies to combat it. It is crucial to identify them, discuss them in light of current evidence, and dispel those that are unequivocally wrong. This article proposes some concepts that may qualify as misconceptions around antibiotic resistance: the susceptible-resistant dichotomy; that incomplete antibiotic courses cause resistance; that resistance "emerges" in patients and hospitals; that antibiotics are mostly abused clinically; that resistance is higher in countries that use more antibiotics; that reducing antibiotic usage would reduce resistance; that financial incentives would "jumpstart" research and development of antibiotics; that generic and "original" antibiotics are the same; and that new anti-infective therapies are just around the corner. While some of these issues are still controversial, it is important to recognize their controversial status, instead of repeating them in specialized literature and lectures and, especially, in the planning of strategies to cope with resistance.
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Sulis G, Sayood S, Katukoori S, Bollam N, George I, Yaeger LH, Chavez MA, Tetteh E, Yarrabelli S, Pulcini C, Harbarth S, Mertz D, Sharland M, Moja L, Huttner B, Gandra S. Exposure to World Health Organization's AWaRe antibiotics and isolation of multidrug resistant bacteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Microbiol Infect 2022; 28:1193-1202. [PMID: 35339675 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmi.2022.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Antibiotic use drives antibiotic resistance. OBJECTIVES To systematically review the literature and estimate associations between prior exposure to antibiotics across World Health Organization's (WHO) AWaRe categories (Access, Watch, Reserve) and isolation of critical and high-priority multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs) on the WHO priority pathogen list. DATA SOURCES Embase, Ovid Medline, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov (from inception to 20/08/2020). STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Case-control, cohort, or experimental studies that assessed the risk of infection/colonization with MDROs. PARTICIPANTS Inpatients or outpatients of any age and sex. INTERVENTIONS Prior exposure to antibiotics that could be categorized into the AWaRe framework. DATA ANALYSIS Tailored design-specific checklists applied to each included study. For each antibiotic/class, crude odds ratios (ORs) were pooled through random-effects meta-analyses, both overall and by MDRO. Heterogeneity was examined. RESULTS We identified 349 eligible studies. All were observational, prone to bias due to design and lack of adjustment for confounding, and not primarily designed to compare associations across AWaRe categories. We found statistically significant associations between prior exposure to almost all antibiotics/classes across AWaRe categories and colonization/infection with any MDRO. We observed higher ORs for Watch and Reserve antibiotics than with Access antibiotics. First generation cephalosporins (Access) had the least association with any MDRO colonization/infection (58 studies; OR = 1.2 [95% CI: 1.0-1.4]), whereas strongest associations were estimated for linezolid (Reserve) (22 studies; OR = 2.6 [95% CI: 2.1-3.1]), followed by carbapenems (Watch) (237 studies; OR = 2.3 [95% CI: 2.1-2.5]). There was high heterogeneity for all antibiotic/MDRO associations. CONCLUSIONS Optimising use of Access antibiotics is likely to reduce the selection of MDROs and global antibiotic resistance. Despite data limitations, our study offers a strong rationale for further adoption of AWaRe as an important tool to improve antibiotic use globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Sulis
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, School of Population and Global Health, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sena Sayood
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Shashi Katukoori
- Division of Hospital Medicine, University of Alabama Medical School, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Neha Bollam
- University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ige George
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Lauren H Yaeger
- Bernard Becker Medical Library, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Miguel A Chavez
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Emmanuel Tetteh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, USA
| | | | - Celine Pulcini
- Infectious Diseases Department, Université de Lorraine, CHRU-Nancy and APEMAC, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - Stephan Harbarth
- Infection Control Programme, Geneva University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Mertz
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mike Sharland
- Paediatric Infectious Diseases Research Group, Institute of Infection and Immunity, St George's University London, London, UK
| | - Lorenzo Moja
- Secretariat of the Model List of Essential Medicines, Department of Essential Health Products and Standards, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Benedikt Huttner
- Secretariat of the Model List of Essential Medicines, Department of Essential Health Products and Standards, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sumanth Gandra
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, MO, USA.
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Liu H, Li Z, Qiang Z, Karanfil T, Yang M, Liu C. The elimination of cell-associated and non-cell-associated antibiotic resistance genes during membrane filtration processes: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 833:155250. [PMID: 35427607 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
With increasing water reuse as a sustainable water management strategy, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) which have been identified as emerging contaminants in wastewater are attracting global attentions. Given that wastewater treatment plants are now well-established as a sink and source of ARGs in both cell-associated and non-cell-associated forms, a need is acknowledged to reduce their proliferation and protect public health. Due to their different characteristics, cell-associated and non-cell-associated ARGs may have distinct responses to membrane filtration processes which are widely used as advanced treatment to the secondary effluent. This review improves the understanding of the abundance of cell-associated and non-cell-associated ARGs in wastewaters and the secondary effluents and compares the elimination of ARGs in cell-associated and non-cell-associated forms by low-pressure and high-pressure membrane filtration processes. The former process reduces the concentration of cell-associated ARGs by more than 2-logs on average. An increase of the retention efficiency of non-cell-associated ARGs is observed with decreasing molecular weight cut-offs in ultrafiltration. The high-pressure membrane filtration (i.e., nanofiltration and reverse osmosis) can effectively eliminate both cell-associated and non-cell-associated ARGs, with averagely more than 4.6-log reduction. In general, the two forms of ARGs can be removed from water by the membrane filtration processes via the effects of size exclusion, adsorption, and electrostatic repulsion. The size and conformation of cell-associated and non-cell-associated ARGs, characteristics of membranes, coexisting substances, and biofilm formation influence ARG retention. Accumulation and potential proliferation of cell-associated and non-cell-associated ARGs in foulants and concentrate and corresponding control strategies warrant future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hang Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Ziqi Li
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhimin Qiang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tanju Karanfil
- Department of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, Clemson University, Anderson, SC 29625, USA
| | - Min Yang
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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Malaka De Silva P, Stenhouse GE, Blackwell GA, Bengtsson RJ, Jenkins C, Hall JPJ, Baker KS. A tale of two plasmids: contributions of plasmid associated phenotypes to epidemiological success among Shigella. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220581. [PMID: 35919999 PMCID: PMC9346365 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mediated through plasmids is a major global concern. Genomic epidemiology studies have shown varying success of different AMR plasmids during outbreaks, but the underlying reasons for these differences are unclear. Here, we investigated two Shigella plasmids (pKSR100 and pAPR100) that circulated in the same transmission network but had starkly contrasting epidemiological outcomes to identify plasmid features that may have contributed to the differences. We used plasmid comparative genomics to reveal divergence between the two plasmids in genes encoding AMR, SOS response alleviation and conjugation. Experimental analyses revealed that these genomic differences corresponded with reduced conjugation efficiencies for the epidemiologically successful pKSR100, but more extensive AMR, reduced fitness costs, and a reduced SOS response in the presence of antimicrobials, compared with the less successful pAPR100. The discrepant phenotypes between the two plasmids are consistent with the hypothesis that plasmid-associated phenotypes contribute to determining the epidemiological outcome of AMR HGT and suggest that phenotypes relevant in responding to antimicrobial pressure and fitness impact may be more important than those around conjugation in this setting. Plasmid phenotypes could thus be valuable tools in conjunction with genomic epidemiology for predicting AMR dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Malaka De Silva
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - George E. Stenhouse
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Grace A. Blackwell
- EMBL-EBI, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB101SA, UK,Department of Parasites and Microbes, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, CB101SA, UK
| | - Rebecca J. Bengtsson
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Claire Jenkins
- Gastro and Food Safety (One Health) Division, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), Colindale, London, UK
| | - James P. J. Hall
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Kate S. Baker
- Department of Clinical Infection, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Bottery MJ. Ecological dynamics of plasmid transfer and persistence in microbial communities. Curr Opin Microbiol 2022; 68:102152. [PMID: 35504055 PMCID: PMC9586876 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2022.102152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Plasmids are a major driver of horizontal gene transfer in prokaryotes, allowing the sharing of ecologically important accessory traits between distantly related bacterial taxa. Within microbial communities, interspecies transfer of conjugative plasmids can rapidly drive the generation genomic innovation and diversification. Recent studies are starting to shed light on how the microbial community context, that is, the bacterial diversity together with interspecies interactions that occur within a community, can alter the dynamics of conjugative plasmid transfer and persistence. Here, I summarise the latest research exploring how community ecology can both facilitate and impose barriers to the spread of conjugative plasmids within complex microbial communities. Ultimately, the fate of plasmids within communities is unlikely to be determined by any one individual host, rather it will depend on the interacting factors imposed by the community in which it is embedded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Bottery
- Division of Evolution Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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68
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Yong M, Chen Y, Oo G, Chang KC, Chu WHW, Teo J, Venkatachalam I, Thevasagayam NM, Sridatta PSR, Koh V, Marcoleta AE, Chen H, Nagarajan N, Kalisvar M, Ng OT, Gan YH. Dominant Carbapenemase-Encoding Plasmids in Clinical Enterobacterales Isolates and Hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae, Singapore. Emerg Infect Dis 2022; 28:1578-1588. [PMID: 35876475 PMCID: PMC9328930 DOI: 10.3201/eid2808.212542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Dissemination of carbapenemase-encoding plasmids by horizontal gene transfer in multidrug-resistant bacteria is the major driver of rising carbapenem-resistance, but the conjugative mechanics and evolution of clinically relevant plasmids are not yet clear. We performed whole-genome sequencing on 1,215 clinical Enterobacterales isolates collected in Singapore during 2010–2015. We identified 1,126 carbapenemase-encoding plasmids and discovered pKPC2 is becoming the dominant plasmid in Singapore, overtaking an earlier dominant plasmid, pNDM1. pKPC2 frequently conjugates with many Enterobacterales species, including hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae, and maintains stability in vitro without selection pressure and minimal adaptive sequence changes. Furthermore, capsule and decreasing taxonomic relatedness between donor and recipient pairs are greater conjugation barriers for pNDM1 than pKPC2. The low fitness costs pKPC2 exerts in Enterobacterales species indicate previously undetected carriage selection in other ecological settings. The ease of conjugation and stability of pKPC2 in hypervirulent K. pneumoniae could fuel spread into the community.
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69
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Darphorn TS, Brul S, Ter Kuile BH. Genetic editing of multi-resistance plasmids in Escherichia coli isolated from meat during transfer. Plasmid 2022; 122:102640. [PMID: 35870604 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2022.102640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Resistance plasmids mediate the rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance, which poses a threat to veterinary and human healthcare. This study addresses the question whether resistance plasmids from Escherichia coli isolated from foodstuffs always transfer unchanged to recipient E. coli cells, or that genetic editing can occur. Strains containing between one and five different plasmids were co-incubated with a standard recipient strain. Plasmids isolated from transconjugant strains were sequenced using short and long read technologies and compared to the original plasmids from the donor strains. After one hour of co-incubation only a single plasmid was transferred from donor to recipient strains. If the donor possessed several plasmids, longer co-incubation resulted in multiple plasmids being transferred. Transferred plasmids showed mutations, mostly in mobile genetic elements, in the conjugative transfer gene pilV and in genes involved in plasmid maintenance. In one transconjugant, a resistance cluster encoding tetracycline resistance was acquired by the IncI1 plasmid from the IncX1 plasmid that was also present in the donor strain, but that was not transferred. A single plasmid transferred twelve times back and forth between E. coli strains resulted in a fully conserved plasmid with no mutations, apart from repetitive rearrangements of pilV from and back to its original conformation in the donor strain. The overall outcome suggests that some genetic mutations and rearrangements can occur during plasmid transfer. The possibility of such mutations should be taken into consideration in epidemiological research aimed at attribution of resistance to specific sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania S Darphorn
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Stanley Brul
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Benno H Ter Kuile
- Laboratory for Molecular Biology and Microbial Food Safety, Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, University of Amsterdam, Science Park 904, 1098 XH Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Office for Risk Assessment, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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70
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Chawla M, Verma J, Gupta R, Das B. Antibiotic Potentiators Against Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria: Discovery, Development, and Clinical Relevance. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:887251. [PMID: 35847117 PMCID: PMC9284026 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.887251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance in clinically important microbes has emerged as an unmet challenge in global health. Extensively drug-resistant bacterial pathogens have cropped up lately defying the action of even the last resort of antibiotics. This has led to a huge burden in the health sectors and increased morbidity and mortality rate across the world. The dwindling antibiotic discovery pipeline and rampant usage of antibiotics has set the alarming bells necessitating immediate actions to combat this looming threat. Various alternatives to discovery of new antibiotics are gaining attention such as reversing the antibiotic resistance and hence reviving the arsenal of antibiotics in hand. Antibiotic resistance reversal is mainly targeted against the antibiotic resistance mechanisms, which potentiates the effective action of the antibiotic. Such compounds are referred to as resistance breakers or antibiotic adjuvants/potentiators that work in conjunction with antibiotics. Many studies have been conducted for the identification of compounds, which decrease the permeability barrier, expression of efflux pumps and the resistance encoding enzymes. Compounds targeting the stability, inheritance and dissemination of the mobile genetic elements linked with the resistance genes are also potential candidates to curb antibiotic resistance. In pursuit of such compounds various natural sources and synthetic compounds have been harnessed. The activities of a considerable number of compounds seem promising and are currently at various phases of clinical trials. This review recapitulates all the studies pertaining to the use of antibiotic potentiators for the reversal of antibiotic resistance and what the future beholds for their usage in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meenal Chawla
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Infection and Immunology Division, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, India
| | - Jyoti Verma
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Infection and Immunology Division, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, India
| | - Rashi Gupta
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Home Economics, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Bhabatosh Das
- Molecular Genetics Laboratory, Infection and Immunology Division, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute, Faridabad, India
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Characterization of the DNA Binding Domain of StbA, A Key Protein of A New Type of DNA Segregation System. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167752. [PMID: 35868361 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Low-copy-number plasmids require sophisticated genetic devices to achieve efficient segregation of plasmid copies during cell division. Plasmid R388 uses a unique segregation mechanism, based on StbA, a small multifunctional protein. StbA is the key protein in a segregation system not involving a plasmid-encoded NTPase partner, it regulates the expression of several plasmid operons, and it is the main regulator of plasmid conjugation. The mechanisms by which StbA, together with the centromere-like sequence stbS, achieves segregation, is largely uncharacterized. To better understand the molecular basis of R388 segregation, we determined the crystal structure of the conserved N-terminal domain of StbA to 1.9 Å resolution. It folds into an HTH DNA-binding domain, structurally related to that of the PadR subfamily II of transcriptional regulators. StbA is organized in two domains. Its N-terminal domain carries the specific stbS DNA binding activity. A truncated version of StbA, deleted of its C-terminal domain, displays only partial activities in vivo, indicating that the non-conserved C-terminal domain is required for efficient segregation and subcellular plasmid positioning. The structure of StbA DNA-binding domain also provides some insight into how StbA monomers cooperate to repress transcription by binding to the stbDR and to form the segregation complex with stbS.
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72
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Dimitriu T. Evolution of horizontal transmission in antimicrobial resistance plasmids. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2022; 168. [PMID: 35849537 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are one of the main vectors for the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across bacteria, due to their ability to move horizontally between bacterial lineages. Horizontal transmission of AMR can increase AMR prevalence at multiple scales, from increasing the prevalence of infections by resistant bacteria to pathogen epidemics and worldwide spread of AMR across species. Among MGEs, conjugative plasmids are the main contributors to the spread of AMR. This review discusses the selective pressures acting on MGEs and their hosts to promote or limit the horizontal transmission of MGEs, the mechanisms by which transmission rates can evolve, and their implications for limiting the spread of AMR, with a focus on AMR plasmids.
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73
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Melatonin inhibits Gram-negative pathogens by targeting citrate synthase. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:1430-1444. [PMID: 35000061 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-2032-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Bacterial infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens represent a growing burden for public health worldwide. Despite the urgent need for new antibiotics that effectively fight against pathogenic bacteria, very few compounds are currently under development or approved in the clinical setting. Repurposing compounds for other uses offers a productive strategy for the development of new antibiotics. Here we report that the multifaceted melatonin effectively improves survival rates of mice and decreases bacterial loads in the lung during infection. Mechanistically, melatonin specifically inhibits the activity of citrate synthase of Gram-negative pathogens through directly binding to the R300, D363, and H265 sites, particularly for the notorious Pasteurella multocida. These findings highlight that usage of melatonin is a feasible and alternative therapy to tackle the increasing threat of Gram-negative pathogen infections via disrupting metabolic flux of bacteria.
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74
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Deshpande AS, Fahrenfeld NL. Abundance, diversity, and host assignment of total, intracellular, and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes in riverbed sediments. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 217:118363. [PMID: 35390554 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.118363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Human health risk assessment for environmental antibiotic resistant microbes requires not only quantifying the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in environmental matrices, but also understanding their hosts and genetic context. Further, differentiating ARGs in intracellular and extracellular DNA (iDNA and eDNA) fractions may help refine our understanding of ARG transferability. The objectives of this study were to understand the (O1) abundance and diversity of extracellular, intracellular, and total ARGs along a land use gradient and (O2) impact of bioinformatics pipeline on the assignment of putative hosts for the ARGs observed in the different DNA fractions. Sediment samples were collected along a land use gradient in the Raritan River, New Jersey, USA. DNA was extracted to separate eDNA and iDNA and qPCR was performed for select ARGs and the 16S rRNA gene. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on DNA extracts for the different DNA fractions. ARG hosts were assigned via two different bioinformatic pipelines: network analysis of raw reads versus assembly. Results of the two pipelines were compared to evaluate their performance in terms of number and diversity of linkages and accuracy of in silico matrix spike host assignments. No differences were observed in the 16S rRNA gene normalized sul1 concentrations between the DNA fractions. The overall microbial community structure was more similar for iDNA and total DNA compared to eDNA and generally clustered by sampling site. ARGs associated with mobile genetic elements increased in iDNA for the downstream sites. Regarding host assignment, the raw reads pipeline via network analysis identified 247 ARG hosts as compared to 53 hosts identified by assembly pipeline. Other comparisons between the pipelines were made including ARG assignment to taxa containing waterborne pathogens and practical considerations regarding processing time.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Deshpande
- Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - N L Fahrenfeld
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rutgers University, 500 Bartholomew Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
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75
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Gruel G, Couvin D, Guyomard-Rabenirina S, Arlet G, Bambou JC, Pot M, Roy X, Talarmin A, Tressieres B, Ferdinand S, Breurec S. High Prevalence of bla CTXM-1/IncI1-Iγ/ST3 Plasmids in Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates Collected From Domestic Animals in Guadeloupe (French West Indies). Front Microbiol 2022; 13:882422. [PMID: 35651489 PMCID: PMC9149308 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.882422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) have been classified in the group of resistant bacteria of highest priority. We determined the prevalence of ESBL-E collected in feces from household and shelter pets in Guadeloupe (French West Indies). A single rectal swab was taken from 125 dogs and 60 cats between June and September 2019. The prevalence of fecal carriage of ESBL-E was 7.6% (14/185, 95% CI: 4.2-12.4), within the range observed worldwide. The only risk factor associated with a higher prevalence of ESBL-E rectal carriage was a stay in a shelter, suggesting that refuges could be hotspots for their acquisition. All but one (Klebsiella pneumoniae from a cat) were Escherichia coli. We noted the presence of a bla CTX-M-1/IncI1-Iγ/sequence type (ST3) plasmid in 11 ESBL-producing E. coli isolates belonging to ST328 (n = 6), ST155 (n = 4) and ST953 (n = 1). A bla CTX-M-15 gene was identified in the three remaining ESBL-E isolates. The bla CTX-M-1 and most of the antimicrobial resistance genes were present in a well-conserved large conjugative IncI1-Iγ/ST3 plasmid characterized by two accessory regions containing antibiotic resistance genes. The plasmid has been detected worldwide in E. coli isolates from humans and several animal species, such as food-producing animals, wild birds and pets, and from the environment. This study shows the potential role of pets as a reservoir of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria or genes for humans and underlines the importance of basic hygiene measures by owners of companion animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëlle Gruel
- Transmission, Reservoir and Diversity of Pathogens Unit, Pasteur Institute of Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, France
| | - David Couvin
- Transmission, Reservoir and Diversity of Pathogens Unit, Pasteur Institute of Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, France
| | | | | | | | - Matthieu Pot
- Transmission, Reservoir and Diversity of Pathogens Unit, Pasteur Institute of Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, France
| | | | - Antoine Talarmin
- Transmission, Reservoir and Diversity of Pathogens Unit, Pasteur Institute of Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, France
| | - Benoit Tressieres
- INSERM 1424, Center for Clinical Investigation, University Hospital Center of Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, France
| | - Séverine Ferdinand
- Transmission, Reservoir and Diversity of Pathogens Unit, Pasteur Institute of Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, France
| | - Sébastien Breurec
- Transmission, Reservoir and Diversity of Pathogens Unit, Pasteur Institute of Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, France.,INSERM 1424, Center for Clinical Investigation, University Hospital Center of Guadeloupe, Pointe-à-Pitre, France.,Faculty of Medicine Hyacinthe Bastaraud, University of the Antilles, Pointe-à-Pitre, France
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76
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Tang B, Chang J, Luo Y, Jiang H, Liu C, Xiao X, Ji X, Yang H. Prevalence and characteristics of the mcr-1 gene in retail meat samples in Zhejiang Province, China. JOURNAL OF MICROBIOLOGY (SEOUL, KOREA) 2022; 60:610-619. [PMID: 35362896 DOI: 10.1007/s12275-022-1597-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Considering the serious threat to food safety and public health posed by pathogens with colistin resistance, colistin was banned as a growth promoter in 2017 in China. In recent years, the resistance rate of Escherichia coli isolated from animal intestines or feces to colistin has decreased. However, the prevalence and characteristics of the mcr-1 gene in retail meat have not been well explored. Herein, 106 mcr-1-negative and 16 mcr-1-positive E. coli isolates were randomly recovered from 120 retail meat samples and screened using colistin. The 106 E. coli isolates showed maximum resistance to sulfafurazole (73.58%) and tetracycline (62.26%) but susceptibility to colistin (0.00%). All 16 mcr-1-positive E. coli isolates showed resistance to colistin, were extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-positive and exhibited complex multidrug resistance (MDR). For these 16 isolates, 17 plasmid replicons and 42 antibiotic resistance genes were identified, and at least 7 antibiotic resistance genes were found in each isolate. Acquired disinfectant resistance genes were identified in 75.00% (12/16) of the isolates. Furthermore, comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis results indicated that these 16 mcr-1-positive E. coli isolates and the most prevalent mcr-1-harboring IncI2 plasmid in this study were closely related to other previously reported mcr-1-positive E. coli isolates and the IncI2 plasmid, respectively, showing their wide distribution. Taken together, our findings showed that retail meat products were a crucial reservoir of mcr-1 during the colistin ban period and should be continuously monitored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Tang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products & Institute of Agro-product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310004, P. R. China.
| | - Jiang Chang
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200240, P. R. China
| | - Yi Luo
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Biometrology and Inspection & Quarantine, College of Life Sciences, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, P. R. China
| | - Han Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Food Quality and Hazard Controlling Technology of Zhejiang Province, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, P. R. China
| | - Canying Liu
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, Guangdong, 528225, P. R. China
| | - Xingning Xiao
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products & Institute of Agro-product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310004, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Ji
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products & Institute of Agro-product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310004, P. R. China
| | - Hua Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products & Institute of Agro-product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310004, P. R. China.
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Zhao X, Li W, Hou S, Wang Y, Wang S, Gao J, Zhang R, Jiang S, Zhu Y. Epidemiological investigation on drug resistance of Salmonella isolates from duck breeding farms in Shandong Province and surrounding areas, China. Poult Sci 2022; 101:101961. [PMID: 35687959 PMCID: PMC9190056 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2022.101961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xinyuan Zhao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 271018, China
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 271018, China
| | - Shaopeng Hou
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 271018, China
| | - Yanjun Wang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 271018, China
| | - Shuyang Wang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 271018, China
| | - Jing Gao
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 271018, China
| | - Ruihua Zhang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 271018, China
| | - Shijin Jiang
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 271018, China
| | - Yanli Zhu
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 201718, China; Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Animal Disease Control and Prevention, Taian 271018, China.
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Kydd L, Alalhareth F, Mendez A, Hohn M, Radunskaya A, Kojouharov H, Jaworski J. Introduction of Plasmid to the Murine Gut via Consumption of an Escherichia coli Carrier and Examining the Impact of Bacterial Dosing and Antibiotics on Persistence. REGENERATIVE ENGINEERING AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2022; 8:489-497. [PMID: 36274752 PMCID: PMC9576642 DOI: 10.1007/s40883-022-00248-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Purpose We examine the impacts of dosing strategies of plasmids on bacterial communities in the murine gut by measuring the quantity of plasmids in mouse feces. Methods We fed mice carrier bacteria, E. coli, that contain plasmids with both a reporter gene and an antibiotic resistant gene. We varied the quantity of the plasmid-carrying bacteria and the length of time the mice consumed the bacteria. We also pretreated the gut with broad-spectrum antibiotics and used continuous antibiotic treatment to investigate selection pressure. We collected bacteria from fecal pellets to quantify the number of plasmid-carrying bacteria via plate assay. Results Dosing regimens with plasmid-carrying bacteria resulted in a significantly increased duration of persistence of the plasmid within the gut when supplemented continuously with kanamycin during as well as after completion of bacterial dosing. The carrier bacteria concentration influenced the short-term abundance of carrier bacteria. Conclusion We evaluated the persistence of plasmid-carrying bacteria in the murine gut over time using varying dosage strategies. In future work, we will study how bacterial diversity in the gut impacts the degree of plasmid transfer and the prevalence of plasmid-carrying bacteria over time. Lay Summary Observing how plasmids persist within the gut can help us understand how newly introduced genes, including antibiotic resistance, are transmitted within the gut microbiome. In our experiments, mice were given bacteria containing a genetically engineered plasmid and were examined for the persistence of the plasmid in the gut. We found long-term persistence of the plasmid in the gut when administering antibiotics during and following dosing of the mice with bacteria carrying the plasmid. The use of higher concentrations of carrier bacteria influenced the short-term abundance of the plasmid-carrying bacteria in the gut. Description of Future Works
Building on evidence from these initial studies that persistence of plasmids within the gut can be regulated by the dosage strategy, we will explore future studies and models of gene uptake in the context of spatial and taxonomic control and further determine if dosing strategies alter the compositional diversity of the gut microbiome. Graphical abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- LeNaiya Kydd
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010 USA
| | - Fawaz Alalhareth
- Department of Mathematics, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010 USA
| | - Ana Mendez
- Department of Mathematics, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010 USA
| | - Maryann Hohn
- Department of Mathematics, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711 USA
| | - Ami Radunskaya
- Department of Mathematics, Pomona College, Claremont, CA 91711 USA
| | - Hristo Kojouharov
- Department of Mathematics, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010 USA
| | - Justyn Jaworski
- Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010 USA
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79
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Meng M, Li Y, Yao H. Plasmid-Mediated Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Soil. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11040525. [PMID: 35453275 PMCID: PMC9024699 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11040525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to selective pressure from the widespread use of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are found in human hosts, plants, and animals and virtually all natural environments. Their migration and transmission in different environmental media are often more harmful than antibiotics themselves. ARGs mainly move between different microorganisms through a variety of mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as plasmids and phages. The soil environment is regarded as the most microbially active biosphere on the Earth’s surface and is closely related to human activities. With the increase in human activity, soils are becoming increasingly contaminated with antibiotics and ARGs. Soil plasmids play an important role in this process. This paper reviews the current scenario of plasmid-mediated migration and transmission of ARGs in natural environments and under different antibiotic selection pressures, summarizes the current methods of plasmid extraction and analysis, and briefly introduces the mechanism of plasmid splice transfer using the F factor as an example. However, as the global spread of drug-resistant bacteria has increased and the knowledge of MGEs improves, the contribution of soil plasmids to resistance gene transmission needs to be further investigated. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant bacteria has also made the effective prevention of the transmission of resistance genes through the plasmid-bacteria pathway a major research priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaoling Meng
- Research Center for Environmental Ecology and Engineering, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430073, China;
| | - Yaying Li
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China;
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Huaiying Yao
- Research Center for Environmental Ecology and Engineering, School of Environmental Ecology and Biological Engineering, Wuhan Institute of Technology, Wuhan 430073, China;
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China;
- Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-0574-8678-4812
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80
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Plasmid Viability Depends on the Ecological Setting of Hosts within a Multiplasmid Community. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0013322. [PMID: 35416702 PMCID: PMC9045312 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00133-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements, some of which disperse horizontally between different strains and species of bacteria. They are a major factor in the dissemination of virulence factors and antibiotic resistance. Understanding the ecology of plasmids has a notable anthropocentric value, and therefore, the interactions between bacterial hosts and individual plasmids have been studied in detail. However, bacterial systems often carry multiple genetically distinct plasmids, but dynamics within these multiplasmid communities have remained unstudied. Here, we set to investigate the survival of 11 mobilizable or conjugative plasmids under five different conditions where the hosts had a differing ecological status in comparison to other bacteria in the system. The key incentive was to determine whether plasmid dynamics are reproducible and whether there are tradeoffs in plasmid fitness that stem from the ecological situation of their initial hosts. Growth rates and maximum population densities increased in all communities and treatments over the 42-day evolution experiment, although plasmid contents at the end varied notably. Large multiresistance-conferring plasmids were unfit when the community also contained smaller plasmids with fewer resistance genes. This suggests that restraining the use of a few antibiotics can make bacterial communities sensitive to others. In general, the presence or absence of antibiotic selection and plasmid-free hosts (of various fitnesses) has a notable influence on which plasmids survive. These tradeoffs in different settings can help explain, for example, why some resistance plasmids have an advantage during a rapid proliferation of antibiotic-sensitive pathogens whereas others dominate in alternative situations. IMPORTANCE Conjugative and mobilizable plasmids are ubiquitous in bacterial systems. Several different plasmids can compete within a single bacterial community. We here show that the ecological setting of the host bacteria has a notable effect on the survival of individual plasmids. Selection for opportunistic genes such as antibiotic resistance genes and the presence of plasmid-free hosts can determine which plasmids survive in the system. Host bacteria appear to adapt specifically to a situation where there are multiple plasmids present instead of alleviating the plasmid-associated fitness costs of individual plasmids. Plasmids providing antibiotic resistance survived under all conditions even if there was a constant migration of higher-fitness plasmid-free hosts and no selection via antibiotics. This study is one of the first to observe the behavior of multiple genetically different plasmids as a part of a single system.
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81
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Guo Y, Gao J, Cui Y, Wang Z, Li Z, Duan W, Wang Y, Wu Z. Chloroxylenol at environmental concentrations can promote conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes by multiple mechanisms. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 816:151599. [PMID: 34774958 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2021] [Revised: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The intergeneric conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is recognized as an important way to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. However, it is unknown whether the extensive use of chloroxylenol (para-chloro-meta-xylenol, PCMX) in many pharmaceutical personal care products will lead to the spread of ARGs. In this study, the abilities and mechanisms of PCMX to accelerate the intergeneric conjugative transfer were investigated. Results showed that exposure of bacteria to environmental concentrations of PCMX (0.20-1.00 mg/L) can significantly stimulate the increase of conjugative transfer by 8.45-9.51 fold. The phenotypic experiments and genome-wide RNA sequencing revealed that 0.02-5.00 mg/L PCMX exposure could increase the content of alkaline phosphatase and malondialdehyde, which are characteristic products of cell wall and membrane damage. In addition, PCMX could lead to excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by 1.26-2.00 times, the superoxide dismutase and catalase produced by bacteria in response to oxidative stress were not enough to neutralize the damage of ROS, thus promoting the conjugative transfer. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis indicated that cell membrane permeability, pili, some chemical compounds transport and energy metabolism affected conjugative transfer. This study deepened the understanding of PCMX in promoting propagation of ARGs, and provided new perspectives for use and treatment of personal care products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Guo
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Jingfeng Gao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Yingchao Cui
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Zhiqi Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Ziqiao Li
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Wanjun Duan
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Zejie Wu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Advanced Municipal Wastewater Treatment and Reuse Technology, Faculty of Environment and Life, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
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82
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Salamzade R, Manson AL, Walker BJ, Brennan-Krohn T, Worby CJ, Ma P, He LL, Shea TP, Qu J, Chapman SB, Howe W, Young SK, Wurster JI, Delaney ML, Kanjilal S, Onderdonk AB, Bittencourt CE, Gussin GM, Kim D, Peterson EM, Ferraro MJ, Hooper DC, Shenoy ES, Cuomo CA, Cosimi LA, Huang SS, Kirby JE, Pierce VM, Bhattacharyya RP, Earl AM. Inter-species geographic signatures for tracing horizontal gene transfer and long-term persistence of carbapenem resistance. Genome Med 2022; 14:37. [PMID: 35379360 PMCID: PMC8981930 DOI: 10.1186/s13073-022-01040-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are an urgent global health threat. Inferring the dynamics of local CRE dissemination is currently limited by our inability to confidently trace the spread of resistance determinants to unrelated bacterial hosts. Whole-genome sequence comparison is useful for identifying CRE clonal transmission and outbreaks, but high-frequency horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of carbapenem resistance genes and subsequent genome rearrangement complicate tracing the local persistence and mobilization of these genes across organisms. METHODS To overcome this limitation, we developed a new approach to identify recent HGT of large, near-identical plasmid segments across species boundaries, which also allowed us to overcome technical challenges with genome assembly. We applied this to complete and near-complete genome assemblies to examine the local spread of CRE in a systematic, prospective collection of all CRE, as well as time- and species-matched carbapenem-susceptible Enterobacterales, isolated from patients from four US hospitals over nearly 5 years. RESULTS Our CRE collection comprised a diverse range of species, lineages, and carbapenem resistance mechanisms, many of which were encoded on a variety of promiscuous plasmid types. We found and quantified rearrangement, persistence, and repeated transfer of plasmid segments, including those harboring carbapenemases, between organisms over multiple years. Some plasmid segments were found to be strongly associated with specific locales, thus representing geographic signatures that make it possible to trace recent and localized HGT events. Functional analysis of these signatures revealed genes commonly found in plasmids of nosocomial pathogens, such as functions required for plasmid retention and spread, as well survival against a variety of antibiotic and antiseptics common to the hospital environment. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, the framework we developed provides a clearer, high-resolution picture of the epidemiology of antibiotic resistance importation, spread, and persistence in patients and healthcare networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rauf Salamzade
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA ,grid.14003.360000 0001 2167 3675Present Address: Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706 USA
| | - Abigail L. Manson
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Bruce J. Walker
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA ,Applied Invention, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Thea Brennan-Krohn
- grid.239395.70000 0000 9011 8547Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Colin J. Worby
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Peijun Ma
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Lorrie L. He
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Terrance P. Shea
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - James Qu
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Sinéad B. Chapman
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Whitney Howe
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Sarah K. Young
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Jenna I. Wurster
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Ophthalmology, Department of Microbiology, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, 240 Charles St., Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - Mary L. Delaney
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDivision of Infectious Disease, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Sanjat Kanjilal
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDivision of Infectious Disease, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDepartment of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare Institute, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Andrew B. Onderdonk
- grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDivision of Infectious Disease, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Cassiana E. Bittencourt
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA 92868 USA
| | - Gabrielle M. Gussin
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92617 USA
| | - Diane Kim
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92617 USA
| | - Ellena M. Peterson
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Orange, CA 92868 USA
| | - Mary Jane Ferraro
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - David C. Hooper
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - Erica S. Shenoy
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - Christina A. Cuomo
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
| | - Lisa A. Cosimi
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA ,grid.38142.3c000000041936754XDivision of Infectious Disease, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115 USA
| | - Susan S. Huang
- grid.266093.80000 0001 0668 7243Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92617 USA
| | - James E. Kirby
- grid.239395.70000 0000 9011 8547Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215 USA
| | - Virginia M. Pierce
- grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - Roby P. Bhattacharyya
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA ,grid.32224.350000 0004 0386 9924Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114 USA
| | - Ashlee M. Earl
- grid.66859.340000 0004 0546 1623Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142 USA
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83
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Jaskólska M, Adams DW, Blokesch M. Two defence systems eliminate plasmids from seventh pandemic Vibrio cholerae. Nature 2022; 604:323-329. [PMID: 35388218 PMCID: PMC7613841 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-04546-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer can trigger rapid shifts in bacterial evolution. Driven by a variety of mobile genetic elements-in particular bacteriophages and plasmids-the ability to share genes within and across species underpins the exceptional adaptability of bacteria. Nevertheless, invasive mobile genetic elements can also present grave risks to the host; bacteria have therefore evolved a vast array of defences against these elements1. Here we identify two plasmid defence systems conserved in the Vibrio cholerae El Tor strains responsible for the ongoing seventh cholera pandemic2-4. These systems, termed DdmABC and DdmDE, are encoded on two major pathogenicity islands that are a hallmark of current pandemic strains. We show that the modules cooperate to rapidly eliminate small multicopy plasmids by degradation. Moreover, the DdmABC system is widespread and can defend against bacteriophage infection by triggering cell suicide (abortive infection, or Abi). Notably, we go on to show that, through an Abi-like mechanism, DdmABC increases the burden of large low-copy-number conjugative plasmids, including a broad-host IncC multidrug resistance plasmid, which creates a fitness disadvantage that counterselects against plasmid-carrying cells. Our results answer the long-standing question of why plasmids, although abundant in environmental strains, are rare in pandemic strains; have implications for understanding the dissemination of antibiotic resistance plasmids; and provide insights into how the interplay between two defence systems has shaped the evolution of the most successful lineage of pandemic V. cholerae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena Jaskólska
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Station 19, EPFL-SV-UPBLO, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - David W Adams
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Station 19, EPFL-SV-UPBLO, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Melanie Blokesch
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, Station 19, EPFL-SV-UPBLO, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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84
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Algarni S, Ricke SC, Foley SL, Han J. The Dynamics of the Antimicrobial Resistance Mobilome of Salmonella enterica and Related Enteric Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:859854. [PMID: 35432284 PMCID: PMC9008345 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.859854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica is considered a global public health risk. Salmonella enterica isolates can develop resistance to several antimicrobial drugs due to the rapid spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes, thus increasing the impact on hospitalization and treatment costs, as well as the healthcare system. Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) play key roles in the dissemination of AMR genes in S. enterica isolates. Multiple phenotypic and molecular techniques have been utilized to better understand the biology and epidemiology of plasmids including DNA sequence analyses, whole genome sequencing (WGS), incompatibility typing, and conjugation studies of plasmids from S. enterica and related species. Focusing on the dynamics of AMR genes is critical for identification and verification of emerging multidrug resistance. The aim of this review is to highlight the updated knowledge of AMR genes in the mobilome of Salmonella and related enteric bacteria. The mobilome is a term defined as all MGEs, including plasmids, transposons, insertion sequences (ISs), gene cassettes, integrons, and resistance islands, that contribute to the potential spread of genes in an organism, including S. enterica isolates and related species, which are the focus of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suad Algarni
- Division of Microbiology, FDA National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, AR, United States
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Steven C. Ricke
- Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery Program, Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Steven L. Foley
- Division of Microbiology, FDA National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, AR, United States
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, United States
| | - Jing Han
- Division of Microbiology, FDA National Center for Toxicological Research, Jefferson, AR, United States
- *Correspondence: Jing Han,
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85
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Pan-genome and resistome analysis of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli: A multi-setting epidemiological surveillance study from Malaysia. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0265142. [PMID: 35271656 PMCID: PMC8912130 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0265142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives
This study profiled the prevalence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) in the community and compared their resistome and genomic profiles with isolates from clinical patients through whole-genome sequencing.
Methods
Fecal samples from 233 community dwellers from Segamat, a town in southern Malaysia, were obtained between May through August 2018. Putative ESBL strains were screened and tested using antibiotic susceptibility tests. Additionally, eight clinical ESBL-EC were obtained from a hospital in the same district between June through October 2020. Whole-genome sequencing was then conducted on selected ESBL-EC from both settings (n = 40) for pan-genome comparison, cluster analysis, and resistome profiling.
Results
A mean ESBL-EC carriage rate of 17.82% (95% CI: 10.48%– 24.11%) was observed in the community and was consistent across demographic factors. Whole-genome sequences of the ESBL-EC (n = 40) enabled the detection of multiple plasmid replicon groups (n = 28), resistance genes (n = 34) and virulence factors (n = 335), with no significant difference in the number of genes carried between the community and clinical isolates (plasmid replicon groups, p = 0.13; resistance genes, p = 0.47; virulence factors, p = 0.94). Virulence gene marker analysis detected the presence of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC), uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), and enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC) in both the community and clinical isolates. Multiple blaCTX-M variants were observed, dominated by blaCTX-M-27 (n = 12), blaCTX-M-65 (n = 10), and blaCTX-M-15 (n = 9). The clinical and community isolates did not cluster together based on the pan-genome comparison, suggesting isolates from the two settings were clonally unrelated. However, cluster analysis based on carried plasmids, resistance genes and phenotypic susceptibility profiles identified four distinct clusters, with similar patterns between the community and clinical isolates.
Conclusion
ESBL-EC from the clinical and community settings shared similar resistome profiles, suggesting the frequent exchange of genetic materials through horizontal gene transfer.
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86
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Matviichuk O, Mondamert L, Geffroy C, Gaschet M, Dagot C, Labanowski J. River Biofilms Microbiome and Resistome Responses to Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluents Containing Antibiotics. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:795206. [PMID: 35222329 PMCID: PMC8863943 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.795206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Continuous exposure to low concentrations of antibiotics (sub-minimal inhibitory concentration: sub-MIC) is thought to lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the environmental microbiota. However, the relationship between antibiotic exposure and resistance selection in environmental bacterial communities is still poorly understood and unproven. Therefore, we measured the concentration of twenty antibiotics, resistome quality, and analyzed the taxonomic composition of microorganisms in river biofilms collected upstream (UPS) and downstream (DWS) (at the point of discharge) from the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) of Poitiers (France). The results of statistical analysis showed that the antibiotic content, resistome, and microbiome composition in biofilms collected UPS were statistically different from that collected DWS. According to Procrustes analysis, microbial community composition and antibiotics content may be determinants of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) composition in samples collected DWS. However, network analysis showed that the occurrence and concentration of antibiotics measured in biofilms did not correlate with the occurrence and abundance of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements. In addition, network analysis suggested patterns of co-occurrence between several ARGs and three classes of bacteria/algae: Bacteroidetes incertae sedis, Cyanobacteria/Chloroplast, and Nitrospira, in biofilm collected UPS. The absence of a direct effect of antibiotics on the selection of resistance genes in the collected samples suggests that the emergence of antibiotic resistance is probably not only due to the presence of antibiotics but is a more complex process involving the cumulative effect of the interaction between the bacterial communities (biotic) and the abiotic matrix. Nevertheless, this study confirms that WWTP is an important reservoir of various ARGs, and additional efforts and legislation with clearly defined concentration limits for antibiotics and resistance determinants in WWTP effluents are needed to prevent their spread and persistence in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olha Matviichuk
- Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7285, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France.,UMR INSERM 1092, Limoges, France
| | - Leslie Mondamert
- Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7285, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Claude Geffroy
- Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7285, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | | | | | - Jérôme Labanowski
- Institut de Chimie des Milieux et Matériaux de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7285, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
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87
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Morsky B, Vural DC. Suppressing evolution of antibiotic resistance through environmental switching. THEOR ECOL-NETH 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s12080-022-00530-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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88
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Modulation of microbial community dynamics by spatial partitioning. Nat Chem Biol 2022; 18:394-402. [PMID: 35145274 PMCID: PMC8967799 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00961-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Microbial communities inhabit spatial architectures that divide a global environment into isolated or semi-isolated local environments, which leads to the partitioning of a microbial community into a collection of local communities. Despite its ubiquity and great interest in related processes, how and to what extent spatial partitioning affects the structures and dynamics of microbial communities is poorly understood. Using modeling and quantitative experiments with simple and complex microbial communities, we demonstrate that spatial partitioning modulates the community dynamics by altering the local interaction types and global interaction strength. Partitioning promotes the persistence of populations with negative interactions but suppresses those with positive interactions. For a community consisting of populations with both positive and negative interactions, an intermediate level of partitioning maximizes the overall diversity of the community. Our results reveal a general mechanism underlying the maintenance of microbial diversity and have implications for natural and engineered communities.
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89
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Saraiva MMS, Silva NMV, Ferreira VA, Moreira Filho ALB, Givisiez PEN, Freitas Neto OC, Berchieri Júnior A, Gebreyes WA, Oliveira CJB. Residual concentrations of antimicrobial growth promoters in poultry litter favour plasmid conjugation among Escherichia coli. Lett Appl Microbiol 2022; 74:831-838. [PMID: 35138674 DOI: 10.1111/lam.13671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Considering that plasmid conjugation is a major driver for the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria, this study aimed to investigate the effects of residual concentrations of antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs) in poultry litter on the frequencies of IncFII-FIB plasmid conjugation among Escherichia coli organisms. A 2x5 factorial trial was performed in vitro, using two types of litter materials (sugarcane bagasse and wood shavings) and five treatments of litter: non-treated (CON), herbal alkaloid sanguinarine (SANG), and AGPs monensin (MON), lincomycin (LCM), and virginiamycin (VIR). E. coli H2332 and E. coli J62 were used as donor and recipient strains, respectively.The presence of residues of monensin, lincomycin and virginiamycin increased the frequency of plasmid conjugation among E. coli in both types of litter materials. On the contrary, sanguinarine significantly reduced the frequency of conjugation among E. coli in sugarcane bagasse litter. The conjugation frequencies were significantly higher in wood shavings compared to sugarcane bagasse only in the presence of AGPs. Considering that the presence of AGPs in the litter can increase the conjugation of IncFII-FIB plasmids carrying antimicrobial resistance genes, the real impact of this phenomenon on the dissemination of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in the poultry production chain must be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M S Saraiva
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba (CCA/UFPB), Areia, PB, Brazil.,Department of Pathology, Theriogenology and One Health, Laboratory of Ornithopathology, São Paulo State University (FCAV/Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - N M V Silva
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba (CCA/UFPB), Areia, PB, Brazil.,Instituto Federal do Sertão Pernambucano - Campus Petrolina
| | - V A Ferreira
- Department of Pathology, Theriogenology and One Health, Laboratory of Ornithopathology, São Paulo State University (FCAV/Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - A L B Moreira Filho
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Human, Social and Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba (CCHSA/UFPB), Bananeiras, PB, Brazil
| | - P E N Givisiez
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba (CCA/UFPB), Areia, PB, Brazil
| | - O C Freitas Neto
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - A Berchieri Júnior
- Department of Pathology, Theriogenology and One Health, Laboratory of Ornithopathology, São Paulo State University (FCAV/Unesp), Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil
| | - W A Gebreyes
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.,Global One health initiative (GOHi), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - C J B Oliveira
- Department of Animal Science, Center for Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Paraiba (CCA/UFPB), Areia, PB, Brazil.,Global One health initiative (GOHi), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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90
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Alderliesten JB, Zwart MP, de Visser JAGM, Stegeman A, Fischer EAJ. Second compartment widens plasmid invasion conditions: Two-compartment pair-formation model of conjugation in the gut. J Theor Biol 2022; 533:110937. [PMID: 34678229 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2021.110937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Understanding under which conditions conjugative plasmids encoding antibiotic resistance can invade bacterial communities in the gut is of particular interest to combat the spread of antibiotic resistance within and between animals and humans. We extended a one-compartment model of conjugation to a two-compartment model, to analyse how differences in plasmid dynamics in the gut lumen and at the gut wall affect the invasion of plasmids. We compared scenarios with one and two compartments, different migration rates between the lumen and wall compartments, and different population dynamics. We focused on the effect of attachment and detachment rates on plasmid dynamics, explicitly describing pair formation followed by plasmid transfer in the pairs. The parameter space allowing plasmid invasion in the one-compartment model is affected by plasmid costs and intrinsic conjugation rates of the transconjugant, but not by these characteristics of the donor. The parameter space allowing plasmid invasion in the two-compartment model is affected by attachment and detachment rates in the lumen and wall compartment, and by the bacterial density at the wall. The one- and two-compartment models predict the same parameter space for plasmid invasion if the conditions in both compartments are equal to the conditions in the one-compartment model. In contrast, the addition of the wall compartment widens the parameter space allowing invasion compared with the one-compartment model, if the density at the wall is higher than in the lumen, or if the attachment rate at the wall is high and the detachment rate at the wall is low. We also compared the pair-formation models with bulk-conjugation models that describe conjugation by instantaneous transfer of the plasmid at contact between cells, without explicitly describing pair formation. Our results show that pair-formation and bulk-conjugation models predict the same parameter space for plasmid invasion. From our simulations, we conclude that conditions at the gut wall should be taken into account to describe plasmid dynamics in the gut and that transconjugant characteristics rather than donor characteristics should be used to parameterize the models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesse B Alderliesten
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Mark P Zwart
- Department of Microbial Ecology, The Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - J Arjan G M de Visser
- Laboratory of Genetics, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Arjan Stegeman
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Egil A J Fischer
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
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91
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Domingues CPF, Rebelo JS, Monteiro F, Nogueira T, Dionisio F. Harmful behaviour through plasmid transfer: a successful evolutionary strategy of bacteria harbouring conjugative plasmids. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200473. [PMID: 34839709 PMCID: PMC8628071 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids are extrachromosomal mobile genetic elements pervasive among bacteria. Plasmids' acquisition often lowers cells' growth rate, so their ubiquity has been a matter of debate. Chromosomes occasionally mutate, rendering plasmids cost-free. However, these compensatory mutations typically take hundreds of generations to appear after plasmid arrival. By then, it could be too late to compete with fast-growing plasmid-free cells successfully. Moreover, arriving plasmids would have to wait hundreds of generations for compensatory mutations to appear in the chromosome of their new host. We hypothesize that plasmid-donor cells may use the plasmid as a 'weapon' to compete with plasmid-free cells, particularly in structured environments. Cells already adapted to plasmids may increase their inclusive fitness through plasmid transfer to impose a cost to nearby plasmid-free cells and increase the replication opportunities of nearby relatives. A mathematical model suggests conditions under which the proposed hypothesis works, and computer simulations tested the long-term plasmid maintenance. Our hypothesis explains the maintenance of conjugative plasmids not coding for beneficial genes. This article is part of the theme issue 'The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Célia P. F. Domingues
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal,INIAV - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P., Oeiras and Vairão, Portugal
| | - João S. Rebelo
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Francisca Monteiro
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Teresa Nogueira
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal,INIAV - Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P., Oeiras and Vairão, Portugal
| | - Francisco Dionisio
- Evolutionary Ecology of Microorganisms Group, cE3c – Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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92
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Igler C, Huisman JS, Siedentop B, Bonhoeffer S, Lehtinen S. Plasmid co-infection: linking biological mechanisms to ecological and evolutionary dynamics. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200478. [PMID: 34839701 PMCID: PMC8628072 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As infectious agents of bacteria and vehicles of horizontal gene transfer, plasmids play a key role in bacterial ecology and evolution. Plasmid dynamics are shaped not only by plasmid-host interactions but also by ecological interactions between plasmid variants. These interactions are complex: plasmids can co-infect the same cell and the consequences for the co-resident plasmid can be either beneficial or detrimental. Many of the biological processes that govern plasmid co-infection-from systems that exclude infection by other plasmids to interactions in the regulation of plasmid copy number-are well characterized at a mechanistic level. Modelling plays a central role in translating such mechanistic insights into predictions about plasmid dynamics and the impact of these dynamics on bacterial evolution. Theoretical work in evolutionary epidemiology has shown that formulating models of co-infection is not trivial, as some modelling choices can introduce unintended ecological assumptions. Here, we review how the biological processes that govern co-infection can be represented in a mathematical model, discuss potential modelling pitfalls, and analyse this model to provide general insights into how co-infection impacts ecological and evolutionary outcomes. In particular, we demonstrate how beneficial and detrimental effects of co-infection give rise to frequency-dependent selection on plasmid variants. This article is part of the theme issue 'The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Igler
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jana S. Huisman
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Berit Siedentop
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Bonhoeffer
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sonja Lehtinen
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
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93
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Ghaly TM, Gillings MR. New perspectives on mobile genetic elements: a paradigm shift for managing the antibiotic resistance crisis. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200462. [PMID: 34839710 PMCID: PMC8628067 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) are primary facilitators in the global spread of antibiotic resistance. Here, we present novel ecological and evolutionary perspectives to understand and manage these elements: as selfish entities that exhibit biological individuality, as pollutants that replicate and as invasive species that thrive under human impact. Importantly, each viewpoint suggests new means to control their activity and spread. When seen as biological individuals, MGEs can be regarded as therapeutic targets in their own right. We highlight promising conjugation-inhibiting compounds that could be administered alongside antibiotic treatment. Viewed as pollutants, sewage treatment methods could be modified to efficiently remove antimicrobials and the resistance genes that they select. Finally, by recognizing the invasive characteristics of MGEs, we might apply strategies developed for the management of invasive species. These include environmental restoration to reduce antimicrobial selection, early detection to help inform appropriate antibiotic usage, and biocontrol strategies that target MGEs, constituting precision antimicrobials. These actions, which embody the One Health approach, target different characteristics of MGEs that are pertinent at the cellular, community, landscape and global levels. The strategies could act on multiple fronts and, together, might provide a more fruitful means to combat the global resistance crisis. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M Ghaly
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
| | - Michael R Gillings
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia
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94
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Haenni M, Dagot C, Chesneau O, Bibbal D, Labanowski J, Vialette M, Bouchard D, Martin-Laurent F, Calsat L, Nazaret S, Petit F, Pourcher AM, Togola A, Bachelot M, Topp E, Hocquet D. Environmental contamination in a high-income country (France) by antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes: Status and possible causes. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2022; 159:107047. [PMID: 34923370 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2021.107047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global public health concern, shared by a large number of human and animal health actors. Within the framework of a One Health approach, actions should be implemented in the environmental realm, as well as the human and animal realms. The Government of France commissioned a report to provide policy and decision makers with an evidential basis for recommending or taking future actions to mitigate AMR in the environment. We first examined the mechanisms that underlie the emergence and persistence of antimicrobial resistance in the environment. This report drew up an inventory of the contamination of aquatic and terrestrial environments by AMR and antibiotics, anticipating that the findings will be representative of some other high-income countries. Effluents of wastewater treatment plants were identified as the major source of contamination on French territory, with spreading of organic waste products as a more diffuse and incidental contamination of aquatic environments. A limitation of this review is the heterogeneity of available data in space and time, as well as the lack of data for certain sources. Comparing the French Measured Environmental Concentrations (MECs) with predicted no effect concentrations (PNECs), fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim were identified as representing high and medium risk of favoring the selection of resistant bacteria in treated wastewater and in the most contaminated rivers. All other antibiotic molecules analyzed (erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, tetracycline) were at low risk of resistance selection in those environments. However, the heterogeneity of the data available impairs their full exploitation. Consequently, we listed indicators to survey AMR and antibiotics in the environment and recommended the harmonization of sampling strategies and endpoints for analyses. Finally, the objectives and methods used for the present work could comprise a useful example for how national authorities of countries sharing common socio-geographic characteristics with France could seek to better understand and define the environmental dimension of AMR in their particular settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Haenni
- Unité Antibiorésistance et Virulence Bactériennes, ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety) - Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Christophe Dagot
- Université of Limoges, RESINFIT, UMR INSERM 1092, CHU, F-87000 Limoges, France
| | - Olivier Chesneau
- Collection de l'Institut Pasteur (CIP), Microbiology Department, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Delphine Bibbal
- INTHERES, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Toulouse, France
| | - Jérôme Labanowski
- Université de Poitiers, UMR CNRS 7285 IC2MP, ENSI Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | | | - Damien Bouchard
- National Agency for Veterinary Medicinal Products, ANSES, Fougères, France
| | | | - Louisiane Calsat
- Risk Assessment Department (DER), ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sylvie Nazaret
- Université de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5557, UMR INRAE 1418, VetAgro Sup, Ecologie Microbienne, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France
| | - Fabienne Petit
- UNIROUEN, UNICAEN, CNRS, M2C, Normandie Université Rouen, France; Sorbonne Université, CNRS, EPHE, PSL, UMR METIS, Paris F-75005, France
| | | | | | - Morgane Bachelot
- ANSES (French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety), Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Edward Topp
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Didier Hocquet
- UMR Chronoenvironnement CNRS 6249, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France; Hygiène Hospitalière, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 25030 Besançon, France.
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95
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Jia Y, Yang B, Shi J, Fang D, Wang Z, Liu Y. Melatonin prevents conjugative transfer of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance genes by disrupting proton motive force. Pharmacol Res 2022; 175:105978. [PMID: 34813930 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The widespread dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a serious problem and constitutes a threat for public health. Plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer of ARGs is recognized as one of the most important pathways accounting for this global crisis. Inhibiting the conjugative transfer of resistant gene-bearing plasmids provides a feasible strategy to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance. Here we found that melatonin, a neurohormone secreted from pineal gland, substantially inhibited the horizontal transfer of RP4-7 plasmid in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, melatonin could also suppress the conjugal frequency of different types of clinical plasmids that carrying colistin resistance gene mcr-1 rather than blaNDM or tet(X) genes. Next, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effect of melatonin on conjugation. As a result, we showed that the addition of melatonin markedly reduced bacterial membrane permeability and inhibited the oxidative stress. In line with these observations, the conjugative transfer-related genes were regulated accordingly. Most importantly, we uncovered that melatonin disrupted bacterial proton motive force (PMF), which is an essential bacterial energy metabolism substance and is important for conjugative process. Collectively, these results provide implications that some non-antibiotics such as melatonin are effective inhibitors of transmission of ARGs and raise a promising strategy to confront the increasing resistant infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuqian Jia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Bingqing Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Jingru Shi
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Dan Fang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, the Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China; Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China.
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96
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Lee J, Beck K, Bürgmann H. Wastewater bypass is a major temporary point-source of antibiotic resistance genes and multi-resistance risk factors in a Swiss river. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 208:117827. [PMID: 34794019 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2021.117827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Untreated combined sewage (bypass) is often discharged by wastewater treatment plants to receiving rivers during stormwater events, where it may contribute to increased levels of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and multi-resistance risk factors (multi-resistant bacteria and multi-resistance genomic determinants (MGDs)) in the receiving water. Other contamination sources, such as soil runoff and resuspended river sediment could also play a role during stormwater events. Here we report on stormwater event-based sampling campaigns to determine temporal dynamics of ARGs and multi-resistance risk factors in bypass, treated effluent, and the receiving river, as well as complimentary data on catchment soils and surface sediments. Both indicator ARGs (qPCR) and resistome (ARG profiles revealed by metagenomics) indicated bypass as the main contributor to the increased levels of ARGs in the river during stormwater events. Furthermore, we showed for the first time that the risk of exposure to bypass-borne multi-resistance risk factors increase under stormwater events and that many of these MGDs were plasmid associated and thus potentially mobile. In addition, elevated resistance risk factors persisted for some time (up to 22 h) in the receiving water after stormwater events, likely due to inputs from distributed overflows in the catchment. This indicates temporal dynamics should be considered when interpreting the risks of exposure to resistance from event-based contamination. We propose that reducing bypass from wastewater treatment plants may be an important intervention option for reducing dissemination of antibiotic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jangwoo Lee
- Department of Surface Waters Research and Management, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland; Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Karin Beck
- Department of Surface Waters Research and Management, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
| | - Helmut Bürgmann
- Department of Surface Waters Research and Management, Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland.
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97
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Ma X, Zhang X, Xia J, Sun H, Zhang X, Ye L. Phenolic compounds promote the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in activated sludge. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 800:149549. [PMID: 34392203 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Phenolic compounds are common organic pollutants in wastewater. During the wastewater treatment process, these compounds may influence the microbial community structure and functions. However, the impact of the phenolic compounds in the wastewater treatment plants on the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has not been well assessed. In this study, we investigated the horizontal transfer of ARGs under the stress of phenolic compounds. The results showed that in pure culture bacteria system, p-nitrophenol (PNP), p-aminophenol (PAP) and phenol (PhOH) (10-100 mg/L) can significantly increase the horizontal transfer frequency of ARGs by 2.2-4.6, 3.6-9.4 and 1.9-9.0 fold, respectively. And, the RP4 plasmid transfer from Escherichia coli HB101 (E. coli HB101) to the bacteria in activated sludge increased obviously under the stress of phenolic compounds. Further investigation revealed that the PNP and PhOH at the concentration of 10-100 mg/L increased the production of reactive oxygen species and the permeability of cell membrane in the donor and recipient, which could be the causes of horizontal transfer of RP4 plasmid. In addition, it was also found that PNP, PAP and PhOH stress inhibit the expression of the global regulatory genes korB and trbA in the RP4 plasmid, and increase the expression level of the traF gene, thereby promoting the conjugative transfer of the RP4 plasmid. Taken together, these results improved our understanding of the horizontal transfer of ARGs under the stress of phenolic compounds and provided basic information for management of the systems that treat wastewater containing phenolic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueyan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xiuwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Juntao Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Haohao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Xuxiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Lin Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, 163 Xianlin Avenue, Nanjing 210023, China.
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98
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Zhang P, Mao D, Gao H, Zheng L, Chen Z, Gao Y, Duan Y, Guo J, Luo Y, Ren H. Colonization of gut microbiota by plasmid-carrying bacteria is facilitated by evolutionary adaptation to antibiotic treatment. THE ISME JOURNAL 2021; 16:1284-1293. [PMID: 34903849 PMCID: PMC9038720 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-021-01171-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Multidrug-resistant plasmid-carrying bacteria are of particular clinical concern as they could transfer antibiotic resistance genes to other bacterial species. However, little is known whether evolutionary adaptation of plasmid-carrying bacteria after long-term antibiotic exposure could affect their subsequent colonization of the human gut. Herein, we combined a long-term evolutionary model based on Escherichia coli K-12 MG1655 and the multidrug-resistant plasmid RP4 with in vivo colonization experiments in mice. We found that the evolutionary adaptation of plasmid-carrying bacteria to antibiotic exposure facilitated colonization of the murine gut and subsequent plasmid transfer to gut bacteria. The evolved plasmid-carrying bacteria exhibited phenotypic alterations, including multidrug resistance, enhanced bacterial growth and biofilm formation capability and decreased plasmid fitness cost, which might be jointly caused by chromosomal mutations (SNPs in rpoC, proQ, and hcaT) and transcriptional modifications. The upregulated transcriptional genes, e.g., type 1 fimbrial-protein pilus (fimA and fimH) and the surface adhesin gene (flu) were likely responsible for the enhanced biofilm-forming capacity. The gene tnaA that encodes a tryptophanase-catalyzing indole formation was transcriptionally upregulated, and increased indole products participated in facilitating the maximum population density of the evolved strains. Furthermore, several chromosomal genes encoding efflux pumps (acriflavine resistance proteins A and B (acrA, acrB), outer-membrane protein (tolC), multidrug-resistance protein (mdtM), and macrolide export proteins A and B (macA, macB)) were transcriptionally upregulated, while most plasmid-harboring genes (conjugal transfer protein (traF) and (trbB), replication protein gene (trfA), beta-lactamase TEM precursor (blaTEM), aminoglycoside 3'-phosphotransferase (aphA) and tetracycline resistance protein A (tetA)) were downregulated. Collectively, these findings demonstrated that evolutionary adaptation of plasmid-carrying bacteria in an antibiotic-influenced environment facilitated colonization of the murine gut by the bacteria and plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China.,State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210046, China
| | - Daqing Mao
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China.
| | - Huihui Gao
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Liyang Zheng
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, China
| | - Zeyou Chen
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Yuting Gao
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Yitao Duan
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
| | - Yi Luo
- College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300350, China. .,State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210046, China.
| | - Hongqiang Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210046, China
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99
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Cai W, Tang F, Jiang L, Li R, Wang Z, Liu Y. Histone-Like Nucleoid Structuring Protein Modulates the Fitness of tet(X4)-Bearing IncX1 Plasmids in Gram-Negative Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:763288. [PMID: 34858374 PMCID: PMC8632487 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.763288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene tet(X4) poses a challenging threat to public health. Based on the analysis of tet(X4)-positive plasmids in the NCBI database, we found that the IncX1-type plasmid is one of the most common vectors for spreading tet(X4) gene, but the mechanisms by which these plasmids adapt to host bacteria and maintain the persistence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) remain unclear. Herein, we investigated the underlying mechanisms of how host bacteria modulate the fitness cost of IncX1 plasmids carrying tet(X4) gene. Interestingly, we found that the tet(X4)-bearing IncX1 plasmids encoding H-NS protein imposed low or no fitness cost in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae; instead, they partially promoted the virulence and biofilm formation in host bacteria. Regression analysis revealed that the expression of hns gene in plasmids was positively linked to the relative fitness of host bacteria. Furthermore, when pCE2::hns was introduced, the fitness of tet(X4)-positive IncX1 plasmid pRF55-1 without hns gene was significantly improved, indicating that hns mediates the improvement of fitness. Finally, we showed that the expression of hns gene is negatively correlated with the expression of tet(X4) gene, suggesting that the regulatory effect of H-NS on adaptability may be attributed to its inhibitory effect on the expression of ARGs. Together, our findings suggest the important role of plasmid-encoded H-NS protein in modulating the fitness of tet(X4)-bearing IncX1 plasmids, which shed new insight into the dissemination of tet(X4) gene in a biological environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhui Cai
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Feifei Tang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Lijie Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Ruichao Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Joint International Research Laboratory of Agriculture and Agri-Product Safety, The Ministry of Education of China, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China.,Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
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100
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Genomic and Metabolic Characteristics of the Pathogenicity in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312892. [PMID: 34884697 PMCID: PMC8657582 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the effectiveness of antimicrobials in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections has gradually decreased. This pathogen can be observed in several clinical cases, such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections, sepsis, in immunocompromised hosts, such as neutropenic cancer, burns, and AIDS patients. Furthermore, Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes diseases in both livestock and pets. The highly flexible and versatile genome of P. aeruginosa allows it to have a high rate of pathogenicity. The numerous secreted virulence factors, resulting from its numerous secretion systems, the multi-resistance to different classes of antibiotics, and the ability to produce biofilms are pathogenicity factors that cause numerous problems in the fight against P. aeruginosa infections and that must be better understood for an effective treatment. Infections by P. aeruginosa represent, therefore, a major health problem and, as resistance genes can be disseminated between the microbiotas associated with humans, animals, and the environment, this issue needs be addressed on the basis of an One Health approach. This review intends to bring together and describe in detail the molecular and metabolic pathways in P. aeruginosa's pathogenesis, to contribute for the development of a more targeted therapy against this pathogen.
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