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Castillo AK, Espinoza K, Chaves AF, Guibert F, Ruiz J, Pons MJ. Antibiotic susceptibility among non-clinical Escherichia coli as a marker of antibiotic pressure in Peru (2009-2019): one health approach. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10573. [PMID: 36119856 PMCID: PMC9479018 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10573] [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] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing health problem worldwide with serious implications in global health. The overuse and misuse of antimicrobials has resulted in the spread of antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms in humans, animals and the environment. Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance provides important information contributing to understanding dissemination within these environments. These data are often unavailable in low- and middle-income countries, such as Peru. This review aimed to determine the levels of antimicrobial resistance in non-clinical Escherichia coli beyond the clinical setting in Peru. Methods We searched 2009-2019 literature in PUBMED, Google Scholar and local repositories. Results Thirty manuscripts including human, food, environmental, livestock, pets and/or wild animals' samples were found. The analysis showed high resistance levels to a variety of antimicrobial agents, with >90% of resistance for streptomycin and non-extended-spectrum cephalosporin in livestock and food. High levels of rifamycin resistance were also found in non-clinical samples from humans. In pets, resistance levels of 70->90% were detected for quinolones tetracycline and non-extended spectrum cephalosporins. The results suggest higher levels of antimicrobial resistance in captive than in free-ranging wild-animals. Finally, among environmental samples, 50-70% of resistance to non-extended-spectrum cephalosporin and streptomycin was found. Conclusions High levels of resistance, especially related to old antibacterial agents, such as streptomycin, 1st and 2nd generation cephalosporins, tetracyclines or first-generation quinolones were detected. Antimicrobial use and control measures are needed with a One Health approach to identify the main drivers of antimicrobial resistance due to interconnected human, animal and environmental habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angie K. Castillo
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular y Bioquímica, Universidad Científica Del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Kathya Espinoza
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular y Bioquímica, Universidad Científica Del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Antony F. Chaves
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular y Bioquímica, Universidad Científica Del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Fernando Guibert
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular y Bioquímica, Universidad Científica Del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Joaquim Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular y Bioquímica, Universidad Científica Del Sur, Lima, Peru
| | - Maria J. Pons
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular y Bioquímica, Universidad Científica Del Sur, Lima, Peru
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102
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Macedo G, Olesen AK, Maccario L, Hernandez Leal L, v. d. Maas P, Heederik D, Mevius D, Sørensen SJ, Schmitt H. Horizontal Gene Transfer of an IncP1 Plasmid to Soil Bacterial Community Introduced by Escherichia coli through Manure Amendment in Soil Microcosms. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:11398-11408. [PMID: 35896060 PMCID: PMC9387108 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.2c02686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The quantification and identification of new plasmid-acquiring bacteria in representative mating conditions is critical to characterize the risk of horizontal gene transfer in the environment. This study aimed to quantify conjugation events resulting from manure application to soils and identify the transconjugants resulting from these events. Conjugation was quantified at multiple time points by plating and flow cytometry, and the transconjugants were recovered by fluorescence-activated cell sorting and identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Overall, transconjugants were only observed within the first 4 days after manure application and at values close to the detection limits of this experimental system (1.00-2.49 log CFU/g of manured soil, ranging between 10-5 and 10-4 transconjugants-to-donor ratios). In the pool of recovered transconjugants, we found amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) of genera whose origin was traced to soils (Bacillus and Nocardioides) and manure (Comamonas and Rahnella). This work showed that gene transfer from fecal to soil bacteria occurred despite the less-than-optimal conditions faced by manure bacteria when transferred to soils, but these events were rare, mainly happened shortly after manure application, and the plasmid did not colonize the soil community. This study provides important information to determine the risks of AMR spread via manure application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonçalo Macedo
- Department
of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Asmus K. Olesen
- Department
of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Lorrie Maccario
- Department
of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Lucia Hernandez Leal
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter v. d. Maas
- Van
Hall Larenstein, University of Applied Sciences, Agora 1, 8901 BV Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Dick Heederik
- Institute
for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dik Mevius
- Department
of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department
of Bacteriology and Epidemiology, Wageningen
Bioveterinary Research, Houtribweg 39, 8221 RA Lelystad, The Netherlands
| | - Søren J. Sørensen
- Department
of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen 2100, Denmark
| | - Heike Schmitt
- Wetsus,
European Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Water Technology, Oostergoweg 9, 8911 MA Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
- Institute
for Risk Assessment Sciences, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 2, 3584 CM Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Centre
for Infectious Disease Control, National
Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Antonie van Leeuwenhoeklaan 9, 3721 MA Bilthoven, The Netherlands
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103
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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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The Sixth Element: a 102-kb RepABC Plasmid of Xenologous Origin Modulates Chromosomal Gene Expression in Dinoroseobacter shibae. mSystems 2022; 7:e0026422. [PMID: 35920548 PMCID: PMC9426580 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00264-22] [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: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The model organism Dinoroseobacter shibae and many other marine Rhodobacterales (Roseobacteraceae, Alphaproteobacteria) are characterized by a multipartite genome organization. Here, we show that the original isolate (Dshi-6) contained six extrachromosomal replicons (ECRs), whereas the strain deposited at the DSMZ (Dshi-5) lacked a 102-kb plasmid. To determine the role of the sixth plasmid, we investigated the genomic and physiological differences between the two strains. Therefore, both genomes were (re)sequenced, and gene expression, growth, and substrate utilization were examined. For comparison, we included additional plasmid-cured strains in the analysis. In the Dshi-6 population, the conjugative 102-kb RepABC-9 plasmid was present in only about 50% of the cells, irrespective of its experimentally validated stability. In the presence of the sixth plasmid, copy number changes of other ECRs, in particular, a decrease of the 86-kb plasmid, were observed. The most conspicuous finding was the strong influence of plasmids on chromosomal gene expression, especially the repression of the CtrA regulon and the activation of the denitrification gene cluster. Expression is inversely controlled by either the presence of the 102-kb plasmid or the absence of the 86-kb plasmid. We identified regulatory genes on both plasmids, i.e., a sigma 70 factor and a quorum sensing synthase, that might be responsible for these major changes. The tremendous effects that were probably even underestimated challenge the current understanding of the relevance of volatile plasmids not only for the original host but also for new recipients after conjugation. IMPORTANCE Plasmids are small DNA molecules that replicate independently of the bacterial chromosome. The common view of the role of plasmids is dominated by the accumulation of resistance genes, which is responsible for the antibiotic crisis in health care and livestock breeding. Beyond rapid adaptations to a changing environment, no general relevance for the host cell’s regulome was attributed to these volatile ECRs. The current study shows for the model organism D. shibae that its chromosomal gene expression is strongly influenced by two plasmids. We provide evidence that the gain or loss of plasmids not only results in minor alterations of the genetic repertoire but also can have tremendous effects on bacterial physiology. The central role of some plasmids in the regulatory network of the host could also explain their persistence despite fitness costs, which has been described as the “plasmid paradox.”
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105
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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: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [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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106
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Palkovicova J, Sukkar I, Delafuente J, Valcek A, Medvecky M, Jamborova I, Bitar I, Phan MD, San Millan A, Dolejska M. Fitness effects of blaCTX-M-15-harbouring F2:A1:B- plasmids on their native Escherichia coli ST131 H30Rx hosts. J Antimicrob Chemother 2022; 77:2960-2963. [PMID: 35880751 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkac250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To investigate the fitness effects of large blaCTX-M-15-harbouring F2:A1:B- plasmids on their native Escherichia coli ST131 H30Rx hosts. METHODS We selected five E. coli ST131 H30Rx isolates of diverse origin, each carrying an F2:A1:B- plasmid with the blaCTX-M-15 gene. The plasmid was eliminated from each isolate by displacement using an incompatible curing plasmid, pMDP5_cureEC958. WGS was performed to obtain complete chromosome and plasmid sequences of original isolates and to detect chromosomal mutations in 'cured' clones. High-throughput competition assays were conducted to determine the relative fitness of cured clones compared with the corresponding original isolates. RESULTS We were able to successfully eliminate the F2:A1:B- plasmids from all five original isolates using pMDP5_cureEC958. The F2:A1:B- plasmids produced non-significant fitness effects in three isolates and moderate reductions in relative fitness (3%-4%) in the two remaining isolates. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that F2:A1:B- plasmids pose low fitness costs in their E. coli ST131 H30Rx hosts. This plasmid-host fitness compatibility is likely to promote the maintenance of antibiotic resistance in this clinically important E. coli lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Palkovicova
- Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Iva Sukkar
- Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Javier Delafuente
- Department of Microbiology, Hospital Universitario Ramon y Cajal (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain
| | - Adam Valcek
- Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.,Microbial Resistance and Drug Discovery, VIB-VUB Centre for Structural Biology, VIB, Flanders Institute for Biotechnology, Brussels, Belgium.,Structural Biology Brussels, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Matej Medvecky
- Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.,Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ivana Jamborova
- Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ibrahim Bitar
- Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic
| | - Minh Duy Phan
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Monika Dolejska
- Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Biology and Wildlife Diseases, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Brno, Czech Republic.,Biomedical Centre, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Pilsen, Czech Republic.,Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, The University Hospital Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
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107
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Hinnekens P, Mahillon J. Conjugation-mediated transfer of pXO16, a large plasmid from Bacillus thuringiensis sv. israelensis, across the Bacillus cereus group and its impact on host phenotype. Plasmid 2022; 122:102639. [PMID: 35842001 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2022.102639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
pXO16, the 350 kb-conjugative plasmid from Bacillus thuringiensis sv. israelensis promotes its own transfer at high efficiency, triggers the transfer of mobilizable and non-mobilizable plasmids, as well as the transfer of host chromosomal loci. Naturally found in B. thuringiensis sv. israelensis, pXO16 transfers to various strains of Bacillus cereus sensu lato (s.l.) at a wide range of frequencies. Despite this host diversity, a paradox remains between the relatively large host spectrum and the natural occurrence of pXO16, so far restricted to B. thuringiensis sv. israelensis. Proposing first insights exploring this paradox, we investigated the behaviour of pXO16 amongst different members of the B. cereus group. We first looked at the transfer of pXO16 to two new host clusters of B. cereus s.l., Bacillus mycoides and Bacillus anthracis clusters. This examination brought to light the impairment of the characteristic rhizoidal phenotype of B. mycoides in presence of pXO16. We also explored the stability of pXO16 at different temperatures as some B. cereus group members are well-known for their psychro- or thermo-tolerance. This shed light on the thermo-sensitivity of the plasmid. The influence of pXO16 on its host cell growth and on swimming capacity also revealed no or limited impact on its natural host B. thuringiensis sv. israelensis. On the contrary, pXO16 affected more strongly both the growth and swimming capacity of other B. cereus s.l. hosts. This reinforced the running hypothesis of a co-evolution between pXO16 and B. thuringiensis sv. israelensis, enabling the plasmid maintenance without impairing the host strain development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Hinnekens
- Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Jacques Mahillon
- Laboratory of Food and Environmental Microbiology, Earth and Life Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
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108
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Zhao J, Li Z, Zhang Y, Liu X, Lu B, Cao B. Convergence of MCR-8.2 and Chromosome-Mediated Resistance to Colistin and Tigecycline in an NDM-5-Producing ST656 Klebsiella pneumoniae Isolate From a Lung Transplant Patient in China. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:922031. [PMID: 35899054 PMCID: PMC9310643 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.922031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We characterized the first NDM-5 and MCR-8.2 co-harboring ST656 Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolate, combining with chromosomal gene-mediated resistance to colistin and tigecycline. The K. pneumoniae KP32558 was isolated from the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from a lung transplant patient. Complete genome sequences were obtained through Illumina HiSeq sequencing and nanopore sequencing. The acquired resistance genes and mutations in chromosome-encoded genes associated with colistin and tigecycline resistance were analyzed. Comparative genomic analysis was conducted between mcr-8.2-carrying plasmids. The K. pneumoniae KP32558 was identified as a pan-drug resistant bacteria, belonging to ST656, and harbored plasmid-encoded blaNDM-5 and mcr-8.2 genes. The blaNDM-5 gene was located on an IncX3 type plasmid. The mcr-8.2 gene was located on a conjugative plasmid pKP32558-2-mcr8, which had a common ancestor with another two mcr-8.2-carrying plasmids pMCR8_020135 and pMCR8_095845. The MIC of KP32558 for colistin was 256 mg/L. The mcr-8.2 gene and mutations in the two-component system, pmrA and crrB, and the regulator mgrB, had a synergistic effect on the high-level colistin resistance. The truncation in the acrR gene, related to tigecycline resistance, was also identified. K. pneumoniae has evolved a variety of complex resistance mechanisms to the last-resort antimicrobials, close surveillance is urgently needed to monitor the prevalence of this clone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiankang Zhao
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ziyao Li
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yulin Zhang
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xinmeng Liu
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Binghuai Lu
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Binghuai Lu, ; Bin Cao,
| | - Bin Cao
- Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, National Center for Respiratory Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
- Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, China
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Binghuai Lu, ; Bin Cao,
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109
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Konopka JK, Chatterjee P, LaMontagne C, Brown J. Environmental impacts of mass drug administration programs: exposures, risks, and mitigation of antimicrobial resistance. Infect Dis Poverty 2022; 11:78. [PMID: 35773680 PMCID: PMC9243877 DOI: 10.1186/s40249-022-01000-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mass drug administration (MDA) of antimicrobials has shown promise in the reduction and potential elimination of a variety of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). However, with antimicrobial resistance (AMR) becoming a global crisis, the risks posed by widespread antimicrobial use need to be evaluated. As the role of the environment in AMR emergence and dissemination has become increasingly recognized, it is likewise crucial to establish the role of MDA in environmental AMR pollution, along with the potential impacts of such pollution. This review presents the current state of knowledge on the antimicrobial compounds, resistant organisms, and antimicrobial resistance genes in MDA trials, routes of these determinants into the environment, and their persistence and ecological impacts, particularly in low and middle-income countries where these trials are most common. From the few studies directly evaluating AMR outcomes in azithromycin MDA trials, it is becoming apparent that MDA efforts can increase carriage and excretion of resistant pathogens in a lasting way. However, research on these outcomes for other antimicrobials used in MDA trials is sorely needed. Furthermore, while paths of AMR determinants from human waste to the environment and their persistence thereafter are supported by the literature, quantitative information on the scope and likelihood of this is largely absent. We recommend some mitigative approaches that would be valuable to consider in future MDA efforts. This review stands to be a valuable resource for researchers and policymakers seeking to evaluate the impacts of MDA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna K Konopka
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Pranab Chatterjee
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Connor LaMontagne
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7431, USA
| | - Joe Brown
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-7431, USA
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110
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Cao Z, Cui L, Liu Q, Liu F, Zhao Y, Guo K, Hu T, Zhang F, Sheng X, Wang X, Peng Z, Dai M. Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Multidrug-Resistant Enterobacter hormaechei Carrying qnrS Gene Isolated from Chicken Feed in China. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0251821. [PMID: 35467399 PMCID: PMC9241693 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02518-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Multidrug resistance (MDR) in Enterobacteriaceae including resistance to quinolones is rising worldwide. The plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) gene qnrS is prevalent in Enterobacteriaceae. However, the qnrS gene is rarely found in Enterobacter hormaechei (E. hormaechei). Here, we reported one multidrug resistant E. hormaechei strain M1 carrying the qnrS1 and blaTEM-1 genes. This study was to analyze the characteristics of MDR E. hormaechei strain M1. The E. hormaechei strain M1 was identified as Enterobacter cloacae complex by biochemical assay and 16S rRNA sequencing. The whole genome was sequenced by the Oxford Nanopore method. Taxonomy of the E. hormaechei was based on multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The qnrS with the other antibiotic resistance genes were coexisted on IncF plasmid (pM1). Besides, the virulence factors associated with pathogenicity were also located on pM1. The qnrS1 gene was located between insertion element IS2A (upstream) and transposition element ISKra4 (downstream). The comparison result of IncF plasmids revealed that they had a common plasmid backbone. Susceptibility experiment revealed that the E. hormaechei M1 showed extensive resistance to the clinical antimicrobials. The conjugation transfer was performed by filter membrane incubation method. The competition and plasmid stability assays suggested the host bacteria carrying qnrS had an energy burden. As far as we know, this is the first report that E. hormaechei carrying qnrS was isolated from chicken feed. The chicken feed and poultry products could serve as a vehicle for these MDR bacteria, which could transfer between animals and humans through the food chain. We need to pay close attention to the epidemiology of E. hormaechei and prevent their further dissemination. IMPORTANCE Enterobacter hormaechei is an opportunistic pathogen. It can cause infections in humans and animals. Plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) gene qnrS can be transferred intergenus, which is leading to increase the quinolone resistance levels in Enterobacteriaceae. Chicken feed could serve as a vehicle for the MDR E. hormaechei. Therefore, antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) might be transferred to the intestinal flora after entering the gastrointestinal tract with the feed. Furthermore, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) were also excreted into environment with feces, posing a huge threat to public health. This requires us to monitor the ARB and antibiotic-resistant plasmids in the feed. Here, we demonstrated the characteristics of one MDR E. hormaechei isolate from chicken feed. The plasmid carrying the qnrS gene is a conjugative plasmid with transferability. The presence of plasmid carrying antibiotic-resistance genes requires the maintenance of antibiotic pressure. In addition, the E. hormaechei M1 belonged to new sequence type (ST). These data show the MDR E. hormaechei M1 is a novel strain that requires our further research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengzheng Cao
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Luqing Cui
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Quan Liu
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fangjia Liu
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Kaixuan Guo
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Tianyu Hu
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xijing Sheng
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiangru Wang
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhong Peng
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Menghong Dai
- The Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- MOA Key Laboratory of Food Safety Evaluation/National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residue (HZAU), Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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Cho S, McMillan EA, Barrett JB, Hiott LM, Woodley TA, House SL, Frye JG, Jackson CR. Distribution and Transfer of Plasmid Replicon Families among Multidrug-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium from Poultry. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10061244. [PMID: 35744761 PMCID: PMC9228330 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The presence and transfer of plasmids from commensal bacteria to more pathogenic bacteria may contribute to the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. However, the prevalence of plasmids from commensal bacteria, such as the enterococci, in food animals remains largely unknown. In this study, the diversity and prevalence of plasmid families from multidrug-resistant (MDR; resistance to three or more antimicrobials) enterococci from poultry carcasses were determined. Plasmid-positive MDR enterococci were also tested for the ability to transfer plasmids to other enterococci using conjugation. MDR Enterococcus faecalis (n = 98) and Enterococcus faecium (n = 696) that were isolated from poultry carcass rinsates between 2004 and 2011 were tested for the presence of 21 plasmid replicon (rep) families using multiplex PCR. Approximately 48% of E. faecalis (47/98) and 16% of E. faecium (110/696) were positive for at least one rep-family. Fourteen rep-families were detected overall, and ten rep-families were shared between E. faecalis and E. faecium. The rep7 and rep17 families were unique to E. faecalis, while the rep5 and rep8 families were unique to E. faecium. The rep9 family was predominant in both E. faecalis and E. faecium for all the years tested. The greatest number of rep-families detected was in 2005 (n = 10), and the least was in 2009 (n = 1). Eight rep-families were transferred from E. faecalis donors to the E. faecalis JH2-2 recipient using conjugation. Results from this study showed that E. faecalis and E. faecium from poultry carcasses contain numerous and diverse rep-families that are capable of conjugal transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sohyun Cho
- Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit, USDA-ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA 30605, USA; (S.C.); (E.A.M.); (J.B.B.); (L.M.H.); (T.A.W.); (S.L.H.); (J.G.F.)
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, Oak Ridge, TN 37830, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. McMillan
- Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit, USDA-ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA 30605, USA; (S.C.); (E.A.M.); (J.B.B.); (L.M.H.); (T.A.W.); (S.L.H.); (J.G.F.)
| | - John B. Barrett
- Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit, USDA-ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA 30605, USA; (S.C.); (E.A.M.); (J.B.B.); (L.M.H.); (T.A.W.); (S.L.H.); (J.G.F.)
| | - Lari M. Hiott
- Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit, USDA-ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA 30605, USA; (S.C.); (E.A.M.); (J.B.B.); (L.M.H.); (T.A.W.); (S.L.H.); (J.G.F.)
| | - Tiffanie A. Woodley
- Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit, USDA-ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA 30605, USA; (S.C.); (E.A.M.); (J.B.B.); (L.M.H.); (T.A.W.); (S.L.H.); (J.G.F.)
| | - Sandra L. House
- Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit, USDA-ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA 30605, USA; (S.C.); (E.A.M.); (J.B.B.); (L.M.H.); (T.A.W.); (S.L.H.); (J.G.F.)
| | - Jonathan G. Frye
- Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit, USDA-ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA 30605, USA; (S.C.); (E.A.M.); (J.B.B.); (L.M.H.); (T.A.W.); (S.L.H.); (J.G.F.)
| | - Charlene R. Jackson
- Bacterial Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Resistance Research Unit, USDA-ARS, U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA 30605, USA; (S.C.); (E.A.M.); (J.B.B.); (L.M.H.); (T.A.W.); (S.L.H.); (J.G.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(706)-546-3604; Fax: +1-(706)-546-3616
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Zarzecka U, Zadernowska A, Chajęcka-Wierzchowska W, Wiśniewska K, Modzelewska-Kapituła M. Antibiotic Resistance Carriage Causes a Lower Survivability Due to Stress Associated with High-Pressure Treatment among Strains from Starter Cultures. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12111460. [PMID: 35681924 PMCID: PMC9179251 DOI: 10.3390/ani12111460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary High-pressure processing is one of the most promising novel food preservation methods that is increasingly used in the food industry. It is applied in various food products such as dairy, meat, juices, and jams to improve safety and shelf-life by the inactivation of microorganisms and preserving of quality attributes. It is reported that the level of antibiotic resistance may influence the ability of strains to survive stress conditions. In this study, it was investigated if carrying antibiotic resistance genes affects the survival of lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus and the former Lactobacillus) strains during high-pressure treatment. It was demonstrated that carrying antibiotic resistance genes strains showed a lower survival in response to pressure than strains carrying up to one resistance gene. The same observations were made for both genera. Appropriately selected parameters of high-pressure treatment may help in the elimination of antibiotic-resistant strains. Abstract High-pressure processing is one of the most promising novel food preservation methods that is increasingly used in the food industry. Its biggest advantage is that it is a nonthermal method that ensures the microbiological safety of the product while maintaining other features, including nutritional value. If products made with starter cultures are subjected to high-pressure treatment, the process parameters should be selected so as not to eliminate all microorganisms in the product. The aim of the study was to investigate if carrying antibiotic resistance genes affects the survival of lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus and the former Lactobacillus) strains during high-pressure treatment. Survival was assessed using the plate count method. It was shown that the strains carrying antibiotic resistance genes showed a lower survival to high pressure. This might be explained by the phenomenon of fitness cost, consisting in a reduced adaptation of antibiotic-resistant strains related to metabolic expenditure. The obtained results indicate the need for further research in this field and the need to select food processing parameters depending on the strains intentionally included in the food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urszula Zarzecka
- Department of Industrial and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Food Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn Plac Cieszyński 1, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland; (U.Z.); (A.Z.); (W.C.-W.); (K.W.)
| | - Anna Zadernowska
- Department of Industrial and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Food Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn Plac Cieszyński 1, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland; (U.Z.); (A.Z.); (W.C.-W.); (K.W.)
| | - Wioleta Chajęcka-Wierzchowska
- Department of Industrial and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Food Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn Plac Cieszyński 1, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland; (U.Z.); (A.Z.); (W.C.-W.); (K.W.)
| | - Krystyna Wiśniewska
- Department of Industrial and Food Microbiology, Faculty of Food Science, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn Plac Cieszyński 1, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland; (U.Z.); (A.Z.); (W.C.-W.); (K.W.)
| | - Monika Modzelewska-Kapituła
- Department of Meat Technology and Chemistry, Faculty of Food Science, University of Warmia and Mazury, Plac Cieszyński 1, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland
- Correspondence:
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Tang F, Cai W, Jiang L, Wang Z, Liu Y. Large-Scale Analysis of Fitness Cost of tet(X4)-Positive Plasmids in Escherichia coli. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:798802. [PMID: 35719358 PMCID: PMC9203853 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.798802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Tigecycline is one of important antimicrobial agents for the treatment of infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. However, the emergence and prevalence of plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene tet(X4) are threatening human and animal health. Fitness cost elicited by resistance plasmids is a key factor affecting the maintenance and transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the host. A comparative analysis of the fitness cost of different types of tet(X4)-positive plasmids is helpful to understand and predict the prevalence of dominant plasmids. In this study, we performed a large-scale analysis of fitness cost of tet(X4)-positive plasmids origin from clinical isolates. These plasmids were successfully electroporated into a reference strain Escherichia coli TOP10, and a series of transformants carrying the tet(X) gene were obtained. The effects of tet(X4)-positive plasmids on the growth rate, plasmid stability, relative fitness, biofilm formation, and virulence in a Galleria mellonella model were evaluated. Consequently, we found that these plasmids resulted in varying degrees of fitness cost on TOP10, including delayed bacterial growth and attenuated virulence. Out of these plasmids, tet(X4)-harboring IncFII plasmids showed the lowest fitness cost on the host. Furthermore, by means of experimental evolution in the presence of commonly used drugs in clinic, the fitness cost of tet(X4)-positive plasmids was substantially alleviated, accompanied by increased plasmid stability. Collectively, our data reveal the differential fitness cost caused by different types of tet(X4)-positive plasmids and suggest that the wide use of tetracycline antibiotics may promote the evolution of plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feifei Tang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Wenhui Cai
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, China
| | - Lijie Jiang
- College of Veterinary 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
- *Correspondence: Zhiqiang Wang, ; Yuan Liu,
| | - 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
- *Correspondence: Zhiqiang Wang, ; Yuan Liu,
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Li XY, Yu R, Xu C, Shang Y, Li D, Du XD. A Small Multihost Plasmid Carrying erm(T) Identified in Enterococcus faecalis. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:850466. [PMID: 35711812 PMCID: PMC9197182 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.850466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the mobile genetic elements involved in the horizontal transfer of erm(T) in Enterococcus faecalis, and its transmission ability in heterologous hosts. A total of 159 erythromycin-resistant enterococci isolates were screened for the presence of macrolide resistance genes by PCR. Whole genome sequencing for erm(T)-carrying E. faecalis E165 was performed. The transmission ability in heterologous hosts was explored by conjugation, transformation, and fitness cost. The erm(T) gene was detected only in an E. faecalis isolate E165 (1/159), which was located on a 4,244-bp small plasmid, designed pE165. Using E. faecalis OG1RF as the recipient strain, pE165 is transferable. Natural transformation experiments using Streptococcus suis P1/7 and Streptococcus mutans UA159 as the recipients indicated it is transmissible, which was also observed by electrotransformation using Staphylococcus aureus RN4220 as a recipient. The erm(T)-carrying pE165 can replicate in the heterologous host including E. faecalis OG1RF, S. suis P1/7, S. mutans UA159, and S. aureus RN4220 and conferred resistance to erythromycin and clindamycin to all hosts. Although there is no disadvantage of pE165 in the recipient strains in growth curve experiments, all the pE165-carrying recipients had a fitness cost compared to the corresponding original recipients in growth competition experiments. In brief, an erm(T)-carrying plasmid was for the first time described in E. faecalis and as transmissible to heterologous hosts.
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Abstract
A plasmid that harbored the virulence factors highly like those of the virulence plasmid commonly found in clinical hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strains was detected in a foodborne Escherichia coli strain EC1108 and designated p1108-IncFIB. This virulent-like plasmid was found to be common in E. coli from various sources. To understand the contribution of this plasmid to the virulence of E. coli, plasmid p1108-IncFIB in strain EC1108 was first cured to generate strain EC1108-PC. The virulence plasmid p15WZ-82_Vir in Klebsiella pneumoniae strain 15WZ-82 was then transmitted to EC1108-PC to produce the transconjugant, EC1108-PC-TC to assess the contribution of this virulence plasmid to the virulence level of E. coli. During the process of conjugation, p15WZ-82_Vir was found to be evolved into p15WZ-82_int, which underwent homologous recombination with a plasmid encoding a carbapenemase gene, blaNDM-1, p1108-NDM, in EC1108-PC. Comparison between the level of virulence in the EC1108, EC1108-PC-TC, and EC1108-PC through serum and macrophage resistance assay, as well as animal experiments, confirmed that plasmid p1108-IncFIB encoded a high level of virulence in E. coli, yet the fusion plasmid derived from p15WZ-82_Vir did not encode virulence but instead imposed a high fitness cost in the E. coli strain EC1108-PC-TC. These findings indicate that E. coli strains carrying the virulence plasmid p1108-IncFIB in multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains may also impose serious public health threats like that of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae strains harboring the p15WZ-82_Vir plasmid. IMPORTANCE Acquisition of pLVPK-like virulence plasmid by Klebsiella pneumoniae converts it to hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (HvKP), which has become one of the most important clinical bacterial pathogens. The potential of transmission of this virulence plasmid and its contribution to the virulence of other Enterobacteriaceae, such as E. coli, are not clear yet. In this study, we showed that pLVPK-like virulence plasmid exhibited fitness costs and did not contribute to the virulence in E. coli. However, we identified a novel virulence plasmid, p1108-IncFIB, that encodes similar siderophore genes as those of pLVPK from a foodborne E. coli strain and showed that p1108-IncFIB encoded a high level of virulence in E. coli. BLAST of E. coli genomes from GenBank showed that these siderophore genes were widespread in clinical E. coli strains. Further studies are warranted to understand the impact of this plasmid in the control of clinical infections caused by E. coli.
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Epidemiology of Plasmids in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae with Acquired Extended Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Genes Isolated from Chronic Wounds in Ghana. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11050689. [PMID: 35625333 PMCID: PMC9138140 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11050689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Little information is available on the local epidemiology of mobile genetic elements such as plasmids harboring acquired beta-lactamase genes in Western African Ghana. In the present study, we screened for plasmids in three Escherichia coli and four Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates expressing extended spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) mediated by the blaCTX-M-15 gene from chronically infected wounds of Ghanaian patients. Bacterial isolates were subjected to combined short-read and long-read sequencing to obtain the sequences of their respective plasmids. In the blaCTX-M-15-gene-carrying plasmids of the four ESBL-positive K. pneumoniae isolates, IncFIB/IncFII (n = 3) and FIA (n = 1) sequences were detected, while in the blaCTX-M-15-gene-carrying plasmids of the three ESBL-positive E. coli isolates, IncFIA/IncFIB (n = 2) and IncFIB (n = 1) sequences were found. The three IncFIB/IncFII sequence-containing plasmids were almost identical to a K. pneumoniae plasmid reported from France. They belonged to the clonal lineages ST17, ST36 and ST39 of K. pneumoniae, suggesting transversal spread of this obviously evolutionary successful plasmid in Ghana. Other resistance gene-encoding plasmids observed in the assessed Enterobacterales harbored IncFIA/IncR and IncFII sequences. International spread was confirmed by the high genetic similarity to resistance-mediating plasmids published from Asia, Australia, Europe and Northern America, including a blaCTX-M-15-gene-carrying plasmid isolated from a wild bird in Germany. In conclusion, the study contributed to the scarcely available information on the epidemiology of third-generation cephalosporine resistance-mediating plasmids in Ghana. Furthermore, the global spread of resistance-mediating plasmids provided hints on the evolutionary success of individual resistance-harboring plasmids by transversal spread among K. pneumoniae lineages in Ghana.
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Yang R, Lai B, Liao K, Liu B, Huang L, Li S, Gu J, Lin Z, Chen Y, Wang S, Qiu Y, Deng J, Chen S, Zhuo C, Zhou Y. Overexpression of BIT33_RS14560 Enhances the Biofilm Formation and Virulence of Acinetobacter baumannii. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:867770. [PMID: 35547150 PMCID: PMC9083411 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.867770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Acinetobacter baumannii, a strictly aerobic, non-lactose fermented Gram-negative bacteria, is one of the important pathogens of nosocomial infection. Major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporter membrane proteins are a class of proteins that widely exists in microbial genomes and have been revealed to be related to biofilm formation in a variety of microorganisms. However, as one of the MFS transporter membrane proteins, little is known about the role of BIT33_RS14560 in A. baumannii. To explore the effects of BIT33_RS14560 on biofilm formation of A. baumannii, the biofilm formation abilities of 62 isolates were firstly investigated and compared with their transcript levels of BIT33_RS14560. Then, this specific gene was over-expressed in a standard A. baumannii strain (ATCC 19606) and two isolates of extensively drug-resistant A. baumannii (XDR-Ab). Bacterial virulence was observed using a Galleria mellonella infection model. High-throughput transcriptome sequencing (RNA seq) was performed on ATCC 19606 over-expressed strain and its corresponding empty plasmid control strain. Spearman’s correlation analysis indicated a significant negative correlation (R = −0.569, p = 0.000) between the △CT levels of BIT33_RS1456 and biofilm grading of A. baumannii isolates. The amount of A. baumannii biofilm was relatively high within 12–48 h. Regardless of standard or clinical strains; the biofilm biomass in the BIT33_RS14560 overexpression group was significantly higher than that in the control group ( p < 0.0001). Kaplan–Meier survival curve analysis showed that the mortality of G. mellonella was significantly higher when infected with the BIT33_RS14560 overexpression strain (χ2 = 8.462, p = 0.004). RNA-Seq showed that the mRNA expression levels of three genes annotated as OprD family outer membrane porin, glycosyltransferase family 39 protein, and glycosyltransferase family 2 protein, which were related to bacterial adhesion, biofilm formation, and virulence, were significantly upregulated when BIT33_RS14560 was over-expressed. Our findings provided new insights in identifying potential drug targets for the inhibition of biofilm formation. We also developed a practical method to construct an over-expressed vector that can stably replicate in XDR-Ab isolates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruifu Yang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bipeng Lai
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kang Liao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Baomo Liu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lixia Huang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoli Li
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jincui Gu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ziying Lin
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yili Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuaishuai Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanli Qiu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiating Deng
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Simin Chen
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chao Zhuo
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanbin Zhou
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Guo R, Li G, Lu L, Sun S, Liu T, Li M, Zheng Y, Walhout AJM, Wu J, Li H. The Plasmid pEX18Gm Indirectly Increases Caenorhabditis elegans Fecundity by Accelerating Bacterial Methionine Synthesis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5003. [PMID: 35563392 PMCID: PMC9102816 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are mostly found in bacteria as extrachromosomal genetic elements and are widely used in genetic engineering. Exploring the mechanisms of plasmid-host interaction can provide crucial information for the application of plasmids in genetic engineering. However, many studies have generally focused on the influence of plasmids on their bacterial hosts, and the effects of plasmids on bacteria-feeding animals have not been explored in detail. Here, we use a "plasmid-bacteria-Caenorhabditis elegans" model to explore the impact of plasmids on their host bacteria and bacterivorous nematodes. First, the phenotypic responses of C. elegans were observed by feeding Escherichia coli OP50 harboring different types of plasmids. We found that E. coli OP50 harboring plasmid pEX18Gm unexpectedly increases the fecundity of C. elegans. Subsequently, we found that the plasmid pEX18Gm indirectly affects C. elegans fecundity via bacterial metabolism. To explore the underlying regulatory mechanism, we performed bacterial RNA sequencing and performed in-depth analysis. We demonstrated that the plasmid pEX18Gm upregulates the transcription of methionine synthase gene metH in the bacteria, which results in an increase in methionine that supports C. elegans fecundity. Additionally, we found that a pEX18Gm-induced increase in C. elegans can occur in different bacterial species. Our findings highlight the plasmid-bacteria-C. elegans model to reveal the mechanism of plasmids' effects on their host and provide a new pattern for systematically studying the interaction between plasmids and multi-species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Guo
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (R.G.); (G.L.); (L.L.); (S.S.); (T.L.)
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA;
| | - Gen Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (R.G.); (G.L.); (L.L.); (S.S.); (T.L.)
| | - Leilei Lu
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (R.G.); (G.L.); (L.L.); (S.S.); (T.L.)
| | - Shan Sun
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (R.G.); (G.L.); (L.L.); (S.S.); (T.L.)
| | - Ting Liu
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (R.G.); (G.L.); (L.L.); (S.S.); (T.L.)
| | - Mengsha Li
- College of Science & Technology, Ningbo University, Cixi 315300, China;
| | - Yong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Botany and Watershed Ecology, Wuhan Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430074, China;
| | - Albertha J. M. Walhout
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA;
| | - Jun Wu
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (R.G.); (G.L.); (L.L.); (S.S.); (T.L.)
| | - Huixin Li
- College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China; (R.G.); (G.L.); (L.L.); (S.S.); (T.L.)
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, Nanjing 210014, China
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Hao J, Zhang B, Deng J, Wei Y, Xiao X, Liu J. Emergence of a Hypervirulent Tigecycline-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Strain Co-producing blaNDM–1 and blaKPC–2 With an Uncommon Sequence Type ST464 in Southwestern China. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:868705. [PMID: 35572689 PMCID: PMC9100695 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.868705] [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: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Emergence of blaNDM–1 and blaKPC–2 co-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains is currently attracting widespread attention, but little information is available about their tigecycline resistance, virulence, and prevalence in Southwest China. In July 2021, an extensively drug-resistant K. pneumoniae strain AHSWKP25 whose genome contained both blaNDM–1 and blaKPC–2 genes was isolated from the blood of a patient with the malignant hematological disease in Luzhou, China. We investigated the resistance profiles of AHSWKP25 using microbroth dilution, agar dilution, modified carbapenemase inactivation (mCIM), and EDTA-modified carbapenemase inactivation methods (eCIM). The virulence of AHSWKP25 was assessed through string tests, serum killing assays, and a Galleria mellonella larval infection model. Conjugation and plasmid stability experiments were conducted to determine the horizontal transfer capacity of plasmids. And efflux pump phenotype test and real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) were used to determine its efflux pump activity. Sequencing of AHSWKP25 determined that AHSWKP25 belonged to ST464, which is resistant to antibiotics such as carbapenems, tetracycline, fluoroquinolones, tigecycline, and fosfomycin. The efflux pump phenotype tests and RT-PCR results demonstrated that efflux pumps were overexpressed in the AHSWKP25, which promoted the tigecycline resistance of the bacteria. AHSWKP25 also showed hypervirulence and serum resistance in vitro model. AHSWKP25 carried several different plasmids that contained blaNDM–1, blaKPC–2, and mutated tet(A) genes. Sequence alignment revealed that the plasmids carrying blaNDM–1 and blaKPC–2 underwent recombination and insertion events, respectively. We demonstrated that an X3 plasmid carrying blaNDM–1 was transferred from pSW25NDM1 to E. coli J53. We also identified missense mutations in the ramR, rcsA, lon, and csrD genes of AHSWKP25. Our results highlighted the potential of blaNDM–1 and blaKPC–2 co-producing K. pneumoniae strains to further develop antimicrobial resistance and hypervirulent phenotypes, but measures should be taken to closely monitor and control the spread of superbugs with multidrug-resistant phenotypes and hypervirulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchen Hao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Bangqin Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jiamin Deng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Yueshuai Wei
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Xue Xiao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Jinbo Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Jinbo Liu,
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Aytan-Aktug D, Clausen PTLC, Szarvas J, Munk P, Otani S, Nguyen M, Davis JJ, Lund O, Aarestrup FM. PlasmidHostFinder: Prediction of Plasmid Hosts Using Random Forest. mSystems 2022; 7:e0118021. [PMID: 35382558 PMCID: PMC9040769 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01180-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmids play a major role facilitating the spread of antimicrobial resistance between bacteria. Understanding the host range and dissemination trajectories of plasmids is critical for surveillance and prevention of antimicrobial resistance. Identification of plasmid host ranges could be improved using automated pattern detection methods compared to homology-based methods due to the diversity and genetic plasticity of plasmids. In this study, we developed a method for predicting the host range of plasmids using machine learning-specifically, random forests. We trained the models with 8,519 plasmids from 359 different bacterial species per taxonomic level; the models achieved Matthews correlation coefficients of 0.662 and 0.867 at the species and order levels, respectively. Our results suggest that despite the diverse nature and genetic plasticity of plasmids, our random forest model can accurately distinguish between plasmid hosts. This tool is available online through the Center for Genomic Epidemiology (https://cge.cbs.dtu.dk/services/PlasmidHostFinder/). IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance is a global health threat to humans and animals, causing high mortality and morbidity while effectively ending decades of success in fighting against bacterial infections. Plasmids confer extra genetic capabilities to the host organisms through accessory genes that can encode antimicrobial resistance and virulence. In addition to lateral inheritance, plasmids can be transferred horizontally between bacterial taxa. Therefore, detection of the host range of plasmids is crucial for understanding and predicting the dissemination trajectories of extrachromosomal genes and bacterial evolution as well as taking effective countermeasures against antimicrobial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derya Aytan-Aktug
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Judit Szarvas
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Patrick Munk
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Saria Otani
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Marcus Nguyen
- Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Data Science and Learning Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA
| | - James J. Davis
- Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Data Science and Learning Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois, USA
- Northwestern Argonne Institute for Science and Engineering, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - Ole Lund
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Frank M. Aarestrup
- National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark
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Abd El-Hamid MI, Sewid AH, Samir M, Hegazy WAH, Bahnass MM, Mosbah RA, Ghaith DM, Khalifa E, Ramadan H, Alshareef WA, Alshareef HM, Ghoneim MM, Al-Sanea MM, Bendary MM. Clonal Diversity and Epidemiological Characteristics of ST239-MRSA Strains. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:782045. [PMID: 35402300 PMCID: PMC8990901 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.782045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major pathogen associated with severe morbidity and mortality and poses a significant threat to public health worldwide. The genetic diversity based on sequence types of MRSA strains was illustrated in previous studies; meanwhile, the diversity along with the predominant sequence type, especially in Egypt, remains unknown. The purpose of the current study was to determine the diversity of the predominant MRSA clone ST239-MRSA (n = 50) isolated from different hosts and clinical samples and to illustrate the correlation between the resistance patterns, toxin genes, and the genetic background in Port-said and El-Sharkia Governorates, Egypt. The ST239-MRSA clone was analyzed by phenotypic antibiotyping and various genotypic assays comprising SCCmec, agr, spa, coa, and coa-RFLP in addition to toxin gene profiles. Most of the analyzed strains (40/50, 80%) were multidrug resistant (MDR), belonged to SCCmec-III, agr-I, and coa genotype I, and harbored sea and pvl genes. A negative correlation between the toxin gene profiles and antimicrobial resistance was recorded. Meanwhile, the correlation between the toxin gene profiles and the genetic background was not observed in this study. Although ST239-MRSA strains belonged to a single sequence type, they exhibited a high degree of phenotypic and genotypic diversity, indicating weak clonality and adaptability. With such diversity, it is assumed that these strains may have undergone different evolutionary processes during transmission events among and/or within a single host or tissue niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa I Abd El-Hamid
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Alaa H Sewid
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Samir
- Department of Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Wael A H Hegazy
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Mosa M Bahnass
- Department of Animal Medicine (Infectious Disease), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Rasha A Mosbah
- Fellow Pharmacist, Zagazig University Hospital, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Doaa M Ghaith
- Department of Clinical and Chemical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Eman Khalifa
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Matrouh University, Matrouh, Egypt
| | - Hazem Ramadan
- Hygiene and Zoonoses Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Walaa A Alshareef
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, October 6 University, 6th of October, Egypt
| | - Hanan M Alshareef
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed M Ghoneim
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, Al Maarefa University, Ad Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad M Al-Sanea
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmoud M Bendary
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Port Said University, Port Said, Egypt
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122
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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: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [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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Mazel D. Cholera-causing bacteria have defences that degrade plasmid invaders. Nature 2022; 604:250-252. [PMID: 35388150 DOI: 10.1038/d41586-022-00871-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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124
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Jamieson-Lane AD, Blasius B. The gossip paradox: Why do bacteria share genes? MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2022; 19:5482-5508. [PMID: 35603365 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2022257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Bacteria, in contrast to eukaryotic cells, contain two types of genes: chromosomal genes that are fixed to the cell, and plasmids, smaller loops of DNA capable of being passed from one cell to another. The sharing of plasmid genes between individual bacteria and between bacterial lineages has contributed vastly to bacterial evolution, allowing specialized traits to 'jump ship' between one lineage or species and the next. The benefits of this generosity from the point of view of both recipient cell and plasmid are generally understood: plasmids receive new hosts and ride out selective sweeps across the population, recipient cells gain new traits (such as antibiotic resistance). Explaining this behavior from the point of view of donor cells is substantially more difficult. Donor cells pay a fitness cost in order to share plasmids, and run the risk of sharing advantageous genes with their competition and rendering their own lineage redundant, while seemingly receiving no benefit in return. Using both compartment based models and agent based simulations we demonstrate that 'secretive' genes which restrict horizontal gene transfer are favored over a wide range of models and parameter values, even when sharing carries no direct cost. 'Generous' chromosomal genes which are more permissive of plasmid transfer are found to have neutral fitness at best, and are generally disfavored by selection. Our findings lead to a peculiar paradox: given the obvious benefits of keeping secrets, why do bacteria share information so freely?
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair D Jamieson-Lane
- Department of Mathematics, University of Auckland, Auckland, 1010, New Zealand
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky, Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, 26129, Germany. Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, Carl von Ossietzky, Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, 26129, Germany
| | - Bernd Blasius
- Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, Carl von Ossietzky, Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, 26129, Germany. Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, Carl von Ossietzky, Universität Oldenburg, Oldenburg, 26129, Germany
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Abstract
Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) drive bacterial evolution, alter gene availability within microbial communities, and facilitate adaptation to ecological niches. In natural systems, bacteria simultaneously possess or encounter multiple MGEs, yet their combined influences on microbial communities are poorly understood. Here, we investigate interactions among MGEs in the marine bacterium Sulfitobacter pontiacus. Two related strains, CB-D and CB-A, each harbor a single prophage. These prophages share high sequence identity with one another and an integration site within the host genome, yet these strains exhibit differences in “spontaneous” prophage induction (SPI) and consequent fitness. To better understand mechanisms underlying variation in SPI between these lysogens, we closed their genomes, which revealed that in addition to harboring different prophage genotypes, CB-A lacks two of the four large, low-copy-number plasmids possessed by CB-D. To assess the relative roles of plasmid content versus prophage genotype on host physiology, a panel of derivative strains varying in MGE content were generated. Characterization of these derivatives revealed a robust link between plasmid content and SPI, regardless of prophage genotype. Strains possessing all four plasmids had undetectable phage in cell-free lysates, while strains lacking either one plasmid (pSpoCB-1) or a combination of two plasmids (pSpoCB-2 and pSpoCB-4) produced high (>105 PFU/mL) phage titers. Homologous plasmid sequences were identified in related bacteria, and plasmid and phage genes were found to be widespread in Tara Oceans metagenomic data sets. This suggests that plasmid-dependent stabilization of prophages may be commonplace throughout the oceans. IMPORTANCE The consequences of prophage induction on the physiology of microbial populations are varied and include enhanced biofilm formation, conferral of virulence, and increased opportunity for horizontal gene transfer. These traits lead to competitive advantages for lysogenized bacteria and influence bacterial lifestyles in a variety of niches. However, biological controls of “spontaneous” prophage induction, the initiation of phage replication and phage-mediated cell lysis without an overt stressor, are not well understood. In this study, we observed a novel interaction between plasmids and prophages in the marine bacterium Sulfitobacter pontiacus. We found that loss of one or more distinct plasmids—which we show carry genes ubiquitous in the world’s oceans—resulted in a marked increase in prophage induction within lysogenized strains. These results demonstrate cross talk between different mobile genetic elements and have implications for our understanding of the lysogenic-lytic switches of prophages found not only in marine environments, but throughout all ecosystems.
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Genomic and Functional Variation of the Chlorophyll d-Producing Cyanobacterium Acaryochloris marina. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10030569. [PMID: 35336144 PMCID: PMC8949462 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10030569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The Chlorophyll d-producing cyanobacterium Acaryochloris marina is widely distributed in marine environments enriched in far-red light, but our understanding of its genomic and functional diversity is limited. Here, we take an integrative approach to investigate A. marina diversity for 37 strains, which includes twelve newly isolated strains from previously unsampled locations in Europe and the Pacific Northwest of North America. A genome-wide phylogeny revealed both that closely related A. marina have migrated within geographic regions and that distantly related A. marina lineages can co-occur. The distribution of traits mapped onto the phylogeny provided evidence of a dynamic evolutionary history of gene gain and loss during A. marina diversification. Ancestral genes that were differentially retained or lost by strains include plasmid-encoded sodium-transporting ATPase and bidirectional NiFe-hydrogenase genes that may be involved in salt tolerance and redox balance under fermentative conditions, respectively. The acquisition of genes by horizontal transfer has also played an important role in the evolution of new functions, such as nitrogen fixation. Together, our results resolve examples in which genome content and ecotypic variation for nutrient metabolism and environmental tolerance have diversified during the evolutionary history of this unusual photosynthetic bacterium.
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Hao J, Zeng Z, Xiao X, Ding Y, Deng J, Wei Y, Liu J. Genomic and Phenotypic Characterization of a Colistin-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolate Co-Harboring blaNDM-5, blaOXA-1, and blaCTX-M-55 Isolated from Urine. Infect Drug Resist 2022; 15:1329-1343. [PMID: 35378893 PMCID: PMC8976530 DOI: 10.2147/idr.s355010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Materials and Methods Results Conclusion
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchen Hao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhangrui Zeng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xue Xiao
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yinhuan Ding
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiamin Deng
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yueshuai Wei
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jinbo Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, Sichuan, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Jinbo Liu, Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, People’s Republic of China, Tel/Fax +86 830 3165730, Email
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Tan R, Jin M, Shao Y, Yin J, Li H, Chen T, Shi D, Zhou S, Li J, Yang D. High-sugar, high-fat, and high-protein diets promote antibiotic resistance gene spreading in the mouse intestinal microbiota. Gut Microbes 2022; 14:2022442. [PMID: 35030982 PMCID: PMC8765071 DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2021.2022442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Diet can not only provide nutrition for intestinal microbiota, it can also remodel them. However, is unclear whether and how diet affects the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the intestinal microbiota. Therefore, we employed selected high-sugar, high-fat, high-protein, and normal diets to explore the effect. The results showed that high-sugar, high-fat, and high-protein diets promoted the amplification and transfer of exogenous ARGs among intestinal microbiota, and up-regulated the expression of trfAp and trbBp while significantly altered the intestinal microbiota and its metabolites. Inflammation-related products were strongly correlated with the spread of ARGs, suggesting the intestinal microenvironment after diet remodeling might be conducive to the spreading of ARGs. This may be attributed to changes in bacterial membrane permeability, the SOS response, and bacterial composition and diversity caused by diet-induced inflammation. In addition, acceptor bacteria (zygotes) screened by flow cytometry were mostly Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, and most were derived from dominant intestinal bacteria remodeled by diet, indicating that the transfer of ARGs was closely linked to diet, and had some selectivity. Metagenomic results showed that the gut resistance genome could be affected not only by diet, but by exogenous antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). Many ARG markers coincided with bacterial markers in diet groups. Therefore, dominant bacteria in different diets are important hosts of ARGs in specific dietary environments, but the many pathogenic bacteria present may cause serious harm to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Tan
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China,Dong Yang Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin300050, China
| | - Min Jin
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China,Dong Yang Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin300050, China
| | - Yifan Shao
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Jing Yin
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Haibei Li
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Tianjiao Chen
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Danyang Shi
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Shuqing Zhou
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China
| | - Junwen Li
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China,CONTACT Junwen Li Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin300050, China
| | - Dong Yang
- Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin, P. R. China,Dong Yang Department of Environment and Health, Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin300050, China
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PixR, a Novel Activator of Conjugative Transfer of IncX4 Resistance Plasmids, Mitigates the Fitness Cost of mcr-1 Carriage in Escherichia coli. mBio 2022; 13:e0320921. [PMID: 35089067 PMCID: PMC8725589 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03209-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of the plasmid-borne colistin resistance gene mcr-1 threatens public health. IncX4-type plasmids are one of the most epidemiologically successful vehicles for spreading mcr-1 worldwide. Since MCR-1 is known for imposing a fitness cost to its host bacterium, the successful spread of mcr-1-bearing plasmids might be linked to high conjugation frequency, which would enhance the maintenance of the plasmid in the host without antibiotic selection. However, the mechanism of IncX4 plasmid conjugation remains unclear. In this study, we used high-density transposon mutagenesis to identify factors required for IncX4 plasmid transfer. Eighteen essential transfer genes were identified, including five with annotations unrelated to conjugation. Cappable-seq, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq), electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and β-galactosidase assay confirmed that a novel transcriptional regulator gene, pixR, directly regulates the transfer of IncX4 plasmids by binding the promoter of 13 essential transfer genes to increase their transcription. PixR is not active under nonmating conditions, while the expression of the pixR, pilX3-4, and pilX11 genes increased 3- to 6-fold upon contact with recipient Escherichia coli C600. Plasmid invasion and coculture competition assays revealed the essentiality of pixR for spreading and persistence of mcr-1-bearing IncX4 plasmids in bacterial populations. Effective conjugation is crucial for alleviating the fitness cost exerted by mcr-1 carriage. The existence of the IncX4-specific pixR gene increases plasmid transmissibility while promoting the invasion and persistence of mcr-1-bearing plasmids in bacterial populations, which helps explain their global prevalence. IMPORTANCE The spread of clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes is often linked to the dissemination of epidemic plasmids. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms contributing to the successful spread of epidemic plasmids remain unclear. In this report, we shine a light on the transfer activation of IncX4 plasmids. We show how conjugation promotes the invasion and persistence of IncX4 plasmids within a bacterial population. The dissection of the regulatory network of conjugation helps explain the rapid spread of epidemic plasmids in nature. It also reveals potential targets for the development of conjugation inhibitors.
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Abstract
By providing the bacterial cell with protection against several antibiotics at once, multiresistance plasmids have an evolutionary advantage in situations where antibiotic treatments are common, such as in hospital environments. However, resistance plasmids can also impose fitness costs on the bacterium in the absence of antibiotics, something that may limit their evolutionary success. The underlying mechanisms and the possible contribution of resistance genes to such costs are still largely not understood. Here, we have specifically investigated the contribution of plasmid-borne resistance genes to the reduced fitness of the bacterial cell. The pUUH239.2 plasmid carries 13 genes linked to antibiotic resistance and reduces bacterial fitness by 2.9% per generation. This cost is fully ameliorated by the removal of the resistance cassette. While most of the plasmid-borne resistance genes individually were cost-free, even when overexpressed, two specific gene clusters were responsible for the entire cost of the plasmid: the extended-spectrum-β-lactamase gene blaCTX-M-15 and the tetracycline resistance determinants tetAR. The blaCTX-M-15 cost was linked to the signal peptide that exports the β-lactamase into the periplasm, and replacement with an alternative signal peptide abolished the cost. Both the tetracycline pump TetA and its repressor TetR conferred a cost on the host cell, and the reciprocal expression of these genes is likely fine-tuned to balance the respective costs. These findings highlight that the cost of clinical multiresistance plasmids can be largely due to particular resistance genes and their interaction with other cellular systems, while other resistance genes and the plasmid backbone can be cost-free. IMPORTANCE Multiresistance plasmids are one of the main drivers of antibiotic resistance development and spread. Their evolutionary success through the accumulation and mobilization of resistance genes is central to resistance evolution. In this study, we find that the cost of the introduction of a multiresistance plasmid was completely attributable to resistance genes, while the rest of the plasmid backbone is cost-free. The majority of resistance genes on the plasmid had no appreciable cost to the host cell even when overexpressed, indicating that plasmid-borne resistance can be cost-free. In contrast, the widespread genes blaCTX-M-15 and tetAR were found to confer the whole cost of the plasmid by affecting specific cellular functions. These findings highlight how the evolution of resistance on plasmids is dependent on the amelioration of associated fitness costs and point at a conundrum regarding the high cost of some of the most widespread β-lactamase genes.
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Potential Synergistic Antibiotic Combinations against Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15020243. [PMID: 35215357 PMCID: PMC8880063 DOI: 10.3390/ph15020243] [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: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The rise in multiple-drug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes in Gram-negative pathogens is a major public health crisis. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is one of the leading causes of nosocomial infections in clinics. Treatment options for P. aeruginosa have become increasingly difficult due tdo its remarkable capacity to resist multiple antibiotics. The presence of intrinsic resistance factors and the ability to quickly adapt to antibiotic monotherapy warrant us to look for alternative strategies like combinatorial antibiotic therapy. Here, we report the frequency of P. aeruginosa multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistance (XDR) phenotypes in a super-specialty tertiary care hospital in north India. Approximately 60 percent of all isolated P. aeruginosa strains displayed the MDR phenotype. We found highest antibiotic resistance frequency in the emergency department (EMR), as 20 percent of isolates were resistant to 15 antipseudomonal antibiotics. Presence of plasmids with quinolone-resistance determinants were major drivers for resistance against fluoroquinolone. Additionally, we explored the possible combinatorial therapeutic options with four antipseudomonal antibiotics—colistin, ciprofloxacin, tobramycin, and meropenem. We uncovered an association between different antibiotic interactions. Our data show that the combination of colistin and ciprofloxacin could be an effective combinatorial regimen to treat infections caused by MDR and XDR P. aeruginosa.
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Hammer-Dedet F, Aujoulat F, Jumas-Bilak E, Licznar-Fajardo P. Persistence and Dissemination Capacities of a BlaNDM-5-Harboring IncX-3 Plasmid in Escherichia coli Isolated from an Urban River in Montpellier, France. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11020196. [PMID: 35203799 PMCID: PMC8868147 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11020196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
To investigate the capacities of persistence and dissemination of blaNDM-5 within Escherichia coli and in aquatic environment, we characterized E. coli (sequence type 636) strains B26 and B28 isolated one month apart from the same urban river in Montpellier, France. The two isolates carried a pTsB26 plasmid, which sized 45,495 Kb, harbored blaNDM-5 gene and belonged to IncX-3 incompatibility group. pTsB26 was conjugative in vitro at high frequency, it was highly stable after 400 generations and it exerted no fitness cost on its host. blaNDM-5harboring plasmids are widely dispersed in E. coli all around the world, with no lineage specialization. The genomic comparison between B26 and B28 stated that the two isolates probably originated from the same clone, suggesting the persistence of pTsB26 in an E. coli host in aquatic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florence Hammer-Dedet
- HSM, University Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 34090 Montpellier, France; (F.H.-D.); (F.A.)
| | - Fabien Aujoulat
- HSM, University Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, 34090 Montpellier, France; (F.H.-D.); (F.A.)
| | - Estelle Jumas-Bilak
- HSM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, CHU Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France;
| | - Patricia Licznar-Fajardo
- HSM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, CHU Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France;
- Correspondence:
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Che Y, Xu X, Yang Y, Břinda K, Hanage W, Yang C, Zhang T. High-resolution genomic surveillance elucidates a multilayered hierarchical transfer of resistance between WWTP- and human/animal-associated bacteria. MICROBIOME 2022; 10:16. [PMID: 35078531 PMCID: PMC8790882 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-021-01192-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Our interconnected world and the ability of bacteria to quickly swap antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) make it particularly important to establish the epidemiological links of multidrug resistance (MDR) transfer between wastewater treatment plant (WWTP)- and human/animal-associated bacteria, under the One Health framework. However, evidence of ARGs exchange and potential factors that contribute to this transfer remain limited. RESULTS Here, by combining culture-based population genomics and genetic comparisons with publicly available datasets, we reconstructed the complete genomes of 82 multidrug-resistant isolates from WWTPs and found that most WWTP-associated isolates were genetically distinct from their closest human/animal-associated relatives currently available in the public database. Even in the minority of lineages that were closely related, WWTP-associated isolates were characterized by quite different plasmid compositions. We identified a high diversity of circular plasmids (264 in total, of which 141 were potentially novel), which served as the main source of resistance, and showed potential horizontal transfer of ARG-bearing plasmids between WWTP- and humans/animal-associated bacteria. Notably, the potentially transferred ARGs and virulence factors (VFs) with different genetic backgrounds were closely associated with flanking insertion sequences (ISs), suggesting the importance of synergy between plasmids and ISs in mediating a multilayered hierarchical transfer of MDR and potentiating the emergence of MDR-hypervirulent clones. CONCLUSION Our findings advance the current efforts to establish potential epidemiological links of MDR transmission between WWTP- and human/animal-associated bacteria. Plasmids play an important role in mediating the transfer of ARGs and the IS-associated ARGs that are carried by conjugative plasmids should be prioritized to tackle the spread of resistance. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Che
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Xiaoqing Xu
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yu Yang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Karel Břinda
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, MA Boston, USA
| | - William Hanage
- Center for Communicable Disease Dynamics, Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Chao Yang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology and Technology for Ministry of Education, Nankai University, 300071 Tianjin, China
| | - Tong Zhang
- Environmental Microbiome Engineering and Biotechnology Laboratory, Center for Environmental Engineering Research, Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong, China
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134
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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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135
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Rodríguez-Beltrán J, León-Sampedro R, Ramiro-Martínez P, de la Vega C, Baquero F, Levin BR, San Millán Á. Translational demand is not a major source of plasmid-associated fitness costs. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200463. [PMID: 34839712 PMCID: PMC8628068 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0463] [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: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are key drivers of bacterial evolution because they are crucial agents for the horizontal transfer of adaptive traits, such as antibiotic resistance. Most plasmids entail a metabolic burden that reduces the fitness of their host if there is no selection for plasmid-encoded genes. It has been hypothesized that the translational demand imposed by plasmid-encoded genes is a major mechanism driving the fitness cost of plasmids. Plasmid-encoded genes typically present a different codon usage from host chromosomal genes. As a consequence, the translation of plasmid-encoded genes might sequestrate ribosomes on plasmid transcripts, overwhelming the translation machinery of the cell. However, the pervasiveness and origins of the translation-derived costs of plasmids are yet to be assessed. Here, we systematically altered translation efficiency in the host cell to disentangle the fitness effects produced by six natural antibiotic resistance plasmids. We show that limiting translation efficiency either by reducing the number of available ribosomes or their processivity does not increase plasmid costs. Overall, our results suggest that ribosomal paucity is not a major contributor to plasmid fitness costs. This article is part of the theme issue 'The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerónimo Rodríguez-Beltrán
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo León-Sampedro
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paula Ramiro-Martínez
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen de la Vega
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Baquero
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red, Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Bruce R. Levin
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Álvaro San Millán
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red, Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología–CSIC, 28049 Madrid, Spain
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136
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Billane K, Harrison E, Cameron D, Brockhurst MA. Why do plasmids manipulate the expression of bacterial phenotypes? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200461. [PMID: 34839708 PMCID: PMC8628079 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids play an important role in bacterial evolution by transferring niche-adaptive traits between lineages, thus driving adaptation and genome diversification. It is increasingly clear, however, that in addition to this evolutionary role, plasmids also manipulate the expression of a broad range of bacterial phenotypes. In this review, we argue that the effects that plasmids have on the expression of bacterial phenotypes may often represent plasmid adaptations, rather than mere deleterious side effects. We begin by summarizing findings from untargeted omics analyses, which give a picture of the global effects of plasmid acquisition on host cells. Thereafter, because many plasmids are capable of both vertical and horizontal transmission, we distinguish plasmid-mediated phenotypic effects into two main classes based upon their potential fitness benefit to plasmids: (i) those that promote the competitiveness of the host cell in a given niche and thereby increase plasmid vertical transmission, and (ii) those that promote plasmid conjugation and thereby increase plasmid horizontal transmission. Far from being mere vehicles for gene exchange, we propose that plasmids often act as sophisticated genetic parasites capable of manipulating their bacterial hosts for their own benefit. This article is part of the theme issue ‘The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements’.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Billane
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Ellie Harrison
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Duncan Cameron
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Michael A Brockhurst
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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137
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Hall JPJ, Harrison E, Baltrus DA. Introduction: the secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200460. [PMID: 34839706 PMCID: PMC8628069 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- James P. J. Hall
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Behaviour, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZB, UK
| | - Ellie Harrison
- Department of Animal Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 1EA, UK
| | - David A. Baltrus
- School of Plant Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721‐0036, USA
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138
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Wardell GE, Hynes MF, Young PJ, Harrison E. Why are rhizobial symbiosis genes mobile? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200471. [PMID: 34839705 PMCID: PMC8628070 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rhizobia are one of the most important and best studied groups of bacterial symbionts. They are defined by their ability to establish nitrogen-fixing intracellular infections within plant hosts. One surprising feature of this symbiosis is that the bacterial genes required for this complex trait are not fixed within the chromosome, but are encoded on mobile genetic elements (MGEs), namely plasmids or integrative and conjugative elements. Evidence suggests that many of these elements are actively mobilizing within rhizobial populations, suggesting that regular symbiosis gene transfer is part of the ecology of rhizobial symbionts. At first glance, this is counterintuitive. The symbiosis trait is highly complex, multipartite and tightly coevolved with the legume hosts, while transfer of genes can be costly and disrupt coadaptation between the chromosome and the symbiosis genes. However, horizontal gene transfer is a process driven not only by the interests of the host bacterium, but also, and perhaps predominantly, by the interests of the MGEs that facilitate it. Thus understanding the role of horizontal gene transfer in the rhizobium-legume symbiosis requires a 'mobile genetic element's-eye view' on the ecology and evolution of this important symbiosis. This article is part of the theme issue 'The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace E. Wardell
- Department of Animal Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 1EA, UK
| | - Michael F. Hynes
- Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
| | - Peter J. Young
- Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Ellie Harrison
- Department of Animal Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 1EA, UK
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139
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Starčič Erjavec M, Jeseničnik K, Elam LP, Kastrin A, Predojević L, Sysoeva TA. Complete sequence of classic F-type plasmid pRK100 shows unique conservation over time and geographic location. Plasmid 2022; 119-120:102618. [PMID: 35077724 PMCID: PMC8978152 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2022.102618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Plasmids exhibit great diversity of gene content and host ranges and are famous for quick adaptation to the genetic background of the bacterial host cell. In addition to observing ever evolving plasmids, some plasmids have conserved backbones: a stable core composition and arrangement of genes in addition to variable regions. There are a few reports of extremely conserved plasmids. Here we report the complete sequence of pRK100 plasmid - a large, well-characterized conjugative F-like plasmid found in an Escherichia coli strain isolated from a urinary tract infection patient in 1990. The sequence shows that the 142 kb-long pRK100 plasmid is nearly identical to plasmids circulating in distant geographical locations and found in different host E. coli strains between 2007 and 2017. We also performed additional functional characterization of pRK100. Our results showed that pRK100 does not have a strong pathogenicity phenotype in porcine primary bladder epithelial cell culture. Moreover, the conjugation of pRK100 seems to strongly depend on recipient characteristics. These observations and identification of the pRK100 plasmid in different strain genotypes leave the extreme sequence conservation and broad distribution of this plasmid unexplained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marjanca Starčič Erjavec
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Karmen Jeseničnik
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Lauren P Elam
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Dr, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
| | - Andrej Kastrin
- Institute for Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Vrazov trg 2, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Luka Predojević
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tatyana A Sysoeva
- Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, 301 Sparkman Dr, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA.
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Zhao G, Wu Y, Wang X, Chen M, Li L. The impact of pollutant as selection pressure on conjugative transfer of dioxin-catabolic plasmids harbored by Rhodococcus sp. strain p52. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:1470-1481. [PMID: 34355316 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15682-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Plasmid-mediated bioaugmentation has potential application in the cleanup of recalcitrant environmental pollutants. In this study, we examined the influence of various contaminants (in different categories or different amounts) as a selection pressure on the spread of catabolic plasmids within an activated sludge bacteria community bioaugmented with Rhodococcus sp. strain p52 harboring pDF01 and pDF02. The distinguishable genera of transconjugants were isolated under the stresses of phenanthrene, dibenzothiophene, and dibenzo-p-dioxin. The three contaminants exerted different degrees of influence on the activated sludge bacteria bearing the catabolic plasmids. The relatively high ratios of transconjugant-bearing catabolic plasmids were detected in the reactor fed with dibenzo-p-dioxin. As dibenzo-p-dioxin from 10 to 80 mg/L was fed into the reactors, the ratios of transconjugant-bearing catabolic plasmids increased. Additionally, levels of ROS and extracellular LDH of activated sludge bacteria in the contaminants-fed reactors increased, comparing with that in the control reactor, indicating that the contaminants exerted toxicity which promoted the cell membrane permeability of the activated sludge bacteria. Our study provides a characterization of the recalcitrant contaminants as a selection pressure that can modulate catabolic plasmid transfer during genetic bioaugmentation for the removal of contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, 72 Binhai Road, Jimo, 266237, China
| | - Yanan Wu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, 72 Binhai Road, Jimo, 266237, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, 72 Binhai Road, Jimo, 266237, China
| | - Meng Chen
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, 72 Binhai Road, Jimo, 266237, China
| | - Li Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Water Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao, 72 Binhai Road, Jimo, 266237, China.
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141
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Ren CY, Wu EL, Hartmann EM, Zhao HP. Biological Mitigation of Antibiotic Resistance Gene Dissemination by Antioxidant-Producing Microorganisms in Activated Sludge Systems. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:15831-15842. [PMID: 34615350 PMCID: PMC9529052 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c04641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is the principal mechanism of an evergrowing bacterial threat. Antibiotic residues in the environment are a major contributor to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics cause bacteria to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can lead to mutagenesis and horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs; however, little is known about the mitigation of ARG dissemination through ROS removal by antioxidants. In this study, we examine how antioxidant-producing microorganisms inoculated in replicate activated sludge systems can biologically mitigate the dissemination of ARGs. Through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), we showed that antioxidant-producing microorganisms could decrease the persistence of the RP4 plasmid and alleviate enrichment of ARGs (sul1) and class 1 integrons (intl1). Metagenomic sequencing identified the most diverse resistome and the most mutated Escherichia coli ARGs in the reactor that contained antibiotics but no antioxidant-producing microorganisms, suggesting that antioxidant-producing microorganisms mitigated ARG enrichment and mutation. Host classification revealed that antioxidant-producing microorganisms decreased the diversity of ARG hosts by shaping the microbial community through competition and functional pathway changes. Conjugative experiments demonstrated that conjugative transfer of ARGs could be mitigated by coculture with antioxidant-producing microorganisms. Overall, this is a novel study that shows how ARG enrichment and HGT can be mitigated through bioaugmentation with antioxidant-producing microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong-Yang Ren
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 310058
| | - En-Ling Wu
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Erica M. Hartmann
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, USA
| | - He-Ping Zhao
- MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China, 310058
- Corresponding Author He-Ping Zhao – MOE Key Lab of Environmental Remediation and Ecosystem Health, College of Environmental and Resource Science and Key Lab of Water Pollution Control & Environmental Safety of Zhejiang province, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Phone: 0086-571-88982739;
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142
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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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143
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Mishra S, Klümper U, Voolaid V, Berendonk TU, Kneis D. Simultaneous estimation of parameters governing the vertical and horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 798:149174. [PMID: 34375245 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.149174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The accelerated spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) in the environment occurs mainly through plasmid transfer facilitated via bacterial conjugation. To predict and efficiently counteract the problems associated with ARG transmission, it is important to estimate conjugation rates under different experimental conditions. The classical models typically used to estimate parameters for mating experiments, while pragmatic in calculating growth and plasmid transfer, often ignore processes such as the reduction in growth due to plasmid bearing costs and are non-inclusive of environmental influences like temperature effects. Here, we present a process-based numerical model taking into account the fitness cost associated with plasmid carriage and temperature dependencies in vertical and horizontal gene transfer processes. Observations from liquid culture conjugation experiments using Escherichia coli and the plasmid pB10 were used to validate our proposed model. We present a comparison between the parameters estimated using the existing and the proposed model. Uncertainties in the estimated parameters were quantified using classical and advanced Bayesian methods. For our mating experiments, we found that at temperatures between 20 and 37 °C, the plasmid bearing costs reduced the growth rates by > 35%. The temperature dependency model of conjugation showed a good fit (mean absolute percentage error < 10%) independent of the bacteria and the plasmid under study. The proposed model simultaneously estimates growth and plasmid transfer rate constants for all three strains (donor, recipient, and transconjugant). Simultaneous estimation of growth and conjugation parameters is particularly useful to estimate the spread of ARG when one of the mating partners inhibits the growth of the other, which is common in multi-species mating or when the incurred plasmid costs are situation dependent (e.g., increased plasmid cost in a mating environment) as observed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulagna Mishra
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany.
| | - Uli Klümper
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany
| | - Veiko Voolaid
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany
| | - Thomas U Berendonk
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany
| | - David Kneis
- Institute of Hydrobiology, TU Dresden, Zellescher Weg 40, Dresden 01217, Germany
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144
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Brockhurst MA, Harrison E. Ecological and evolutionary solutions to the plasmid paradox. Trends Microbiol 2021; 30:534-543. [PMID: 34848115 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2021.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The 'plasmid paradox' arises because, although plasmids are common features of bacterial genomes, theoretically they should not exist: rates of conjugation were believed insufficient to allow plasmids to persist by infectious transmission, whereas the costs of plasmid maintenance meant that plasmids should be purged by negative selection regardless of whether they encoded beneficial accessory traits because these traits should eventually be captured by the chromosome, enabling the loss of the redundant plasmid. In the decade since the plasmid paradox was described, new data and theory show that a range of ecological and evolutionary mechanisms operate in bacterial populations and communities to explain the widespread distribution and stable maintenance of plasmids. We conclude, therefore, that multiple solutions to the plasmid paradox are now well understood. The current challenge for the field, however, is to better understand how these solutions operate in natural bacterial communities to explain and predict the distribution of plasmids and the dynamics of the horizontal gene transfer that they mediate in bacterial (pan)genomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Brockhurst
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK.
| | - Ellie Harrison
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
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145
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Takashima A, Kawano H, Ueda T, Suzuki-Minakuchi C, Okada K, Nojiri H. A toxin-antitoxin system confers stability to the IncP-7 plasmid pCAR1. Gene 2021; 812:146068. [PMID: 34838639 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.146068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2021] [Revised: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems were initially discovered as plasmid addiction systems. Previously, our studies implied that the high stability of the IncP-7 plasmid pCAR1 in different Pseudomonas spp. hosts was due to the presence of a TA system on the plasmid. Bioinformatics approaches suggested that ORF174 and ORF175 could constitute a type II TA system, a member of the RES-Xre family, and that these two open reading frames (ORFs) constitute a single operon. As expected, the ORF175 product is a toxin, which decreases the viability of the host, P. resinovorans, while the ORF174 product functions as an antitoxin that counteracts the effect of ORF175 on cell growth. Based on these findings, we renamed ORF174 and ORF175 as prcA (antitoxin gene) and prcT (toxin gene), respectively. The prcA and prcT genes were cloned into the unstable plasmid vector pSEVA644. The recombinant vector was stably maintained in P. resinovorans and Escherichia coli cells under nonselective conditions following 6 days of daily subculturing. The empty vector (without the prcA and prcT genes) could not be maintained, which suggested that the PrcA/T system can be used as a tool to improve the stability of otherwise unstable plasmids in P. resinovorans and E. coli strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aya Takashima
- Agro-Biotechnology Research Center, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Hibiki Kawano
- Agro-Biotechnology Research Center, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Tomomi Ueda
- Agro-Biotechnology Research Center, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Chiho Suzuki-Minakuchi
- Agro-Biotechnology Research Center, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kazunori Okada
- Agro-Biotechnology Research Center, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Hideaki Nojiri
- Agro-Biotechnology Research Center, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; Collaborative Research Institute for Innovative Microbiology, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
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146
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Lee IPA, Eldakar OT, Gogarten JP, Andam CP. Bacterial cooperation through horizontal gene transfer. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 37:223-232. [PMID: 34815098 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cooperation exists across all scales of biological organization, from genetic elements to complex human societies. Bacteria cooperate by secreting molecules that benefit all individuals in the population (i.e., public goods). Genes associated with cooperation can spread among strains through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). We discuss recent findings on how HGT mediated by mobile genetic elements promotes bacterial cooperation, how cooperation in turn can facilitate more frequent HGT, and how the act of HGT itself may be considered as a form of cooperation. We propose that HGT is an important enforcement mechanism in bacterial populations, thus creating a positive feedback loop that further maintains cooperation. To enforce cooperation, HGT serves as a homogenizing force by transferring the cooperative trait, effectively eliminating cheaters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaiah Paolo A Lee
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA
| | - Omar Tonsi Eldakar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
| | - J Peter Gogarten
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
| | - Cheryl P Andam
- Department of Biological Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12222, USA.
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147
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Duxbury SJN, Alderliesten JB, Zwart MP, Stegeman A, Fischer EAJ, de Visser JAGM. Chicken gut microbiome members limit the spread of an antimicrobial resistance plasmid in Escherichia coli. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20212027. [PMID: 34727719 PMCID: PMC8564601 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.2027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance is a major contributor to the spread of resistance genes within bacterial communities. Successful plasmid spread depends upon a balance between plasmid fitness effects on the host and rates of horizontal transmission. While these key parameters are readily quantified in vitro, the influence of interactions with other microbiome members is largely unknown. Here, we investigated the influence of three genera of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) derived from the chicken gastrointestinal microbiome on the spread of an epidemic narrow-range ESBL resistance plasmid, IncI1 carrying blaCTX-M-1, in mixed cultures of isogenic Escherichia coli strains. Secreted products of LAB decreased E. coli growth rates in a genus-specific manner but did not affect plasmid transfer rates. Importantly, we quantified plasmid transfer rates by controlling for density-dependent mating opportunities. Parametrization of a mathematical model with our in vitro estimates illustrated that small fitness costs of plasmid carriage may tip the balance towards plasmid loss under growth conditions in the gastrointestinal tract. This work shows that microbial interactions can influence plasmid success and provides an experimental-theoretical framework for further study of plasmid transfer in a microbiome context.
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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
| | - 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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148
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Hernández-Beltrán JCR, San Millán A, Fuentes-Hernández A, Peña-Miller R. Mathematical Models of Plasmid Population Dynamics. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:606396. [PMID: 34803935 PMCID: PMC8600371 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.606396] [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: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
With plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance thriving and threatening to become a serious public health problem, it is paramount to increase our understanding of the forces that enable the spread and maintenance of drug resistance genes encoded in mobile genetic elements. The relevance of plasmids as vehicles for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes, in addition to the extensive use of plasmid-derived vectors for biotechnological and industrial purposes, has promoted the in-depth study of the molecular mechanisms controlling multiple aspects of a plasmids' life cycle. This body of experimental work has been paralleled by the development of a wealth of mathematical models aimed at understanding the interplay between transmission, replication, and segregation, as well as their consequences in the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of plasmid-bearing bacterial populations. In this review, we discuss theoretical models of plasmid dynamics that span from the molecular mechanisms of plasmid partition and copy-number control occurring at a cellular level, to their consequences in the population dynamics of complex microbial communities. We conclude by discussing future directions for this exciting research topic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Rafael Peña-Miller
- Center for Genomic Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mexico
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149
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Emergence of Ceftazidime- and Avibactam-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase-Producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa in China. mSystems 2021; 6:e0078721. [PMID: 34726488 PMCID: PMC8562488 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00787-21] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa (KPC-PA) has been reported sporadically. However, epidemiological and antimicrobial susceptibility data specific for KPC-PA are lacking. We collected 374 carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) isolates from seven hospitals in China from June 2016 to February 2019 and identified the blaKPC-2 gene in 40.4% (n = 151/374) of the isolates. Approximately one-half of all KPC-PA isolates (n = 76/151; 50.3%) were resistant to ceftazidime-avibactam (CAZ-AVI). Combining Kraken2 taxonomy identification and Nanopore sequencing, we identified eight plasmid types, five of which carried blaKPC-2, and 13 combination patterns of these plasmid types. In addition, we identified IS26-ΔTn6296 and Tn1403-like–ΔTn6296 as the two mobile genetic elements that mediated blaKPC-2 transmission. blaKPC-2 plasmid curing in 28 strains restored CAZ-AVI susceptibility, suggesting that blaKPC-2 was the mediator of CAZ-AVI resistance. Furthermore, the blaKPC-2 copy number was found to correlate with KPC expression and, therefore, CAZ-AVI resistance. Taken together, our results suggest that KPC-PA is becoming a clinical threat and that using CAZ-AVI to treat this specific pathogen should be done with caution. IMPORTANCE Previous research has reported several cases of KPC-PA strains and three KPC-encoding P. aeruginosa plasmid types in China. However, the prevalence and clinical significance of KPC-PA are not available. In addition, the susceptibility of the strains to CAZ-AVI remains unknown. Samples in this study were collected from seven tertiary hospitals prior to CAZ-AVI clinical approval in China. Therefore, our results represent a retrospective study establishing the baseline efficacy of the novel β-lactam/β-lactamase combination agent for treating KPC-PA infections. The observed correlation between the blaKPC copy number and CAZ-AVI resistance suggests that close monitoring of the susceptibility of the strain during treatment is required. It would also be beneficial to screen for the blaKPC gene in CRPA strains for antimicrobial surveillance purposes.
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150
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Carroll LM, Buehler AJ, Gaballa A, Siler JD, Cummings KJ, Cheng RA, Wiedmann M. Monitoring the Microevolution of Salmonella enterica in Healthy Dairy Cattle Populations at the Individual Farm Level Using Whole-Genome Sequencing. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:763669. [PMID: 34733267 PMCID: PMC8558520 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.763669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Livestock represent a possible reservoir for facilitating the transmission of the zoonotic foodborne pathogen Salmonella enterica to humans; there is also concern that strains can acquire resistance to antimicrobials in the farm environment. Here, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was used to characterize Salmonella strains (n = 128) isolated from healthy dairy cattle and their associated environments on 13 New York State farms to assess the diversity and microevolution of this important pathogen at the level of the individual herd. Additionally, the accuracy and concordance of multiple in silico tools are assessed, including: (i) two in silico serotyping tools, (ii) combinations of five antimicrobial resistance (AMR) determinant detection tools and one to five AMR determinant databases, and (iii) one antimicrobial minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) prediction tool. For the isolates sequenced here, in silico serotyping methods outperformed traditional serotyping and resolved all un-typable and/or ambiguous serotype assignments. Serotypes assigned in silico showed greater congruency with the Salmonella whole-genome phylogeny than traditional serotype assignments, and in silico methods showed high concordance (99% agreement). In silico AMR determinant detection methods additionally showed a high degree of concordance, regardless of the pipeline or database used (≥98% agreement among susceptible/resistant assignments for all pipeline/database combinations). For AMR detection methods that relied exclusively on nucleotide BLAST, accuracy could be maximized by using a range of minimum nucleotide identity and coverage thresholds, with thresholds of 75% nucleotide identity and 50-60% coverage adequate for most pipeline/database combinations. In silico characterization of the microevolution and AMR dynamics of each of six serotype groups (S. Anatum, Cerro, Kentucky, Meleagridis, Newport, Typhimurium/Typhimurium variant Copenhagen) revealed that some lineages were strongly associated with individual farms, while others were distributed across multiple farms. Numerous AMR determinant acquisition and loss events were identified, including the recent acquisition of cephalosporin resistance-conferring bla CMY- and bla CTX-M-type beta-lactamases. The results presented here provide high-resolution insight into the temporal dynamics of AMR Salmonella at the scale of the individual farm and highlight both the strengths and limitations of WGS in tracking zoonotic pathogens and their associated AMR determinants at the livestock-human interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M. Carroll
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Ariel J. Buehler
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Ahmed Gaballa
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Julie D. Siler
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Kevin J. Cummings
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Rachel A. Cheng
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | - Martin Wiedmann
- Department of Food Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
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