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Wang X, Li J, Pan X. How micro-/nano-plastics influence the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes - A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 944:173881. [PMID: 38871331 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173881] [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: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Plastic debris such as microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPTs), along with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), are pervasive in the environment and are recognized as significant global health and ecological concerns. Micro-/nano-plastics (MNPs) have been demonstrated to favor the spread of ARGs by enhancing the frequency of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) through various pathways. This paper comprehensively and systematically reviews the current study with focus on the influence of plastics on the HGT of ARGs. The critical role of MNPs in the HGT of ARGs has been well illustrated in sewage sludge, livestock farms, constructed wetlands and landfill leachate. A summary of the performed HGT assay and the underlying mechanism of plastic-mediated transfer of ARGs is presented in the paper. MNPs could facilitate or inhibit HGT of ARGs, and their effects depend on the type, size, and concentration. This review provides a comprehensive insight into the effects of MNPs on the HGT of ARGs, and offers suggestions for further study. Further research should attempt to develop a standard HGT assay and focus on investigating the impact of different plastics, including the oligomers they released, under real environmental conditions on the HGT of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaonan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China; Key Laboratory of Pollution Exposure and Health Intervention of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310015, China; School of Environment Science and Spatial Information, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, China; Shaoxing Research Institute of Zhejiang University of Technology, Shaoxing 312000, China
| | - Jiahao Li
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Xiangliang Pan
- Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology for Industrial Pollution Control of Zhejiang Province, College of Environment, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China.
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Zhou F, Wu X, Fan S, Zhao X, Li M, Song F, Huang Y, Zhang X. Detoxification of phoxim by a gut bacterium of Delia antiqua. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 943:173866. [PMID: 38862045 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173866] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
The presence of certain associated bacteria has been reported to increase pest resistance to pesticides, which poses a serious threat to food security and the environment. Researches on the above microbe-derived pesticide resistance would bring innovative approaches for pest management. Investigations into the phoxim resistance of Delia antiqua, one Liliaceae crop pests, revealed the contribution of a phoxim-degrading gut bacterium, D39, to this resistance. However, how the strain degraded phoxim was unknown. In this study, the role of D39 in phoxim degradation and resistance was first confirmed. DT, which had an identical taxonomy but lacked phoxim-degrading activity, was analyzed alongside D39 via comparative genomics to identify the potential phoxim degrading genes. In addition, degradation metabolites were identified, and a potential degradation pathway was proposed. Furthermore, the main gene responsible for degradation and the metabolites of phoxim were further validated via prokaryotic expression. The results showed that D39 contributed to resistance in D. antiqua larva by degrading phoxim. Phoxim was degraded by an enzyme encoded by the novel gene phoD in D39 to O,O-diethyl hydrogen phosphorothioate and 2-hydroxyimino-2-phenylacetonitrile. Finally, downstream products were metabolized in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Further analysis via prokaryotic expression of phoD confirmed its degradation activity. The mechanisms through which gut microbes promote pesticide resistance are elucidated in this study. These results could aid in the development of innovative pest control methods. In addition, this information could also be used to identify microbial agents that could be applied for the remediation of pesticide contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Zhou
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Ecology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan 250103, China
| | - Xiaoqing Wu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Ecology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan 250103, China
| | - Susu Fan
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Ecology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan 250103, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhao
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Ecology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan 250103, China
| | - Miaomiao Li
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Ecology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan 250103, China
| | - Fanyong Song
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Ecology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan 250103, China
| | - Yujie Huang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Ecology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan 250103, China
| | - Xinjian Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Microbiology, Ecology Institute, Qilu University of Technology (Shandong Academy of Sciences), Ji'nan 250103, China.
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3
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Yan P, Zhuang S, Li M, Zhang J, Wu S, Xie H, Wu H. Combined environmental pressure induces unique assembly patterns of micro-plastisphere biofilm microbial communities in constructed wetlands. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 260:121958. [PMID: 38896886 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121958] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 06/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
The characteristics and dynamics of micro-plastisphere biofilm on the surface of microplastics (MPs) within artificial ecosystems, such as constructed wetlands (CWs), remain unclear, despite these ecosystems' potential to serve as sinks for MPs. This study investigates the dynamic evolution of micro-plastisphere biofilm in CWs, utilizing simulated wastewater containing sulfamethoxazole and humic acid, through physicochemical characterization and metagenomic analysis. Two different types of commercial plastics, including non-degradable polyethylene and degradable polylactic acid, were shredded into MPs and studied. The findings reveal that the types, shape and incubation time of MPs, along with humic acid content in wastewater, affected the quantity and quality of biofilms, such as the biofilm composition, spatial structure and microbial communities. After just 15 days into incubation, numerous microbials were observed on MP samples, with increases in biofilms content and enhanced humification of extracellular polymeric substances over time. Additionally, microbial communities on polylactic acid MPs, or those incubated for longer time, exhibit higher diversity, connectivity and stability, along with reduced vulnerability. Conversely, biofilms on polyethylene MPs were thicker, with higher potential for greenhouse gas emission and increased risk of antibiotic resistance genes. The addition of humic acid demonstrated opposite effects on biofilms across environmental interfaces, possibly due to its dual potential to produce light-induced free radicals and serve as a carbon source. Binning analysis further uncovered a unique assembly pattern of nutrients cycle genes and antibiotic resistance genes, significantly correlated within micro-plastisphere microbial communities, under the combined stress of nutrition and sulfamethoxazole. These results emphasize the shaping of micro-plastisphere biofilm characteristics by unique environmental conditions in artificial ecosystems, and the need to understand how DOM and other pollutants covary with MP pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peihao Yan
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Shuzhen Zhuang
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Mingjun Li
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, PR China; College of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, 250014, PR China.
| | - Shubiao Wu
- Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Tjele 8830, Denmark
| | - Huijun Xie
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266247, PR China
| | - Haiming Wu
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, PR China.
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4
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Yu K, Hei S, Li P, Chen P, Yang J, He Y. Removal of intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factor genes using electricity-intensified constructed wetlands. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 475:134749. [PMID: 38876012 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134749] [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: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
Constructed wetland (CW) is considered a promising technology for the removal of emerging contaminants. However, its removal performance for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is not efficient and influence of virulence factor genes (VFGs) have not been elucidated. Here, removal of intracellular and extracellular ARGs as well as VFGs by electricity-intensified CWs was comprehensively evaluated. The two electrolysis-intensified CWs can improve the removal of intracellular ARGs and MGEs to 0.96- and 0.85-logs, respectively. But cell-free extracellular ARGs (CF-eARGs) were significantly enriched with 1.8-logs in the electrolysis-intensified CW. Interestingly, adding Fe-C microelectrolysis to the electrolysis-intensified CW is conducive to the reduction of CF-eARGs. However, the detected number and relative abundances of intracellular and extracellular VFGs were increased in all of the three CWs. The biofilms attached onto the substrates and rhizosphere are also hotspots of both intracellular and particle-associated extracellular ARGs and VFGs. Structural equation models and correlation analysis indicated that ARGs and VFGs were significantly cooccurred, suggesting that VFGs may affect the dynamics of ARGs. The phenotypes of VFGs, such as biofilm, may act as protective matrix for ARGs, hindering the removal of resistance genes. Our results provide novel insights into the ecological remediation technologies to enhance the removal of ARGs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaifeng Yu
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China; NUS Environmental Research Institute, National University of Singapore, 5A Engineering Drive 1, 117411, Singapore; Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), National University of Singapore, 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore
| | - Shenglei Hei
- School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Lanzhou Jiao Tong University, 118 West Anning Road, Lanzhou City 730070, China
| | - Peng Li
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Ping Chen
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Jinghan Yang
- Shanghai Waterway Engineering Design and Consulting Co., Ltd., Shanghai 200120, China
| | - Yiliang He
- School of Environmental Science & Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China; Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise (CREATE), National University of Singapore, 1 CREATE Way, 138602, Singapore; China-UK Low Carbon College, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
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5
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Zhou Z, Shuai D. Disinfection and post-disinfection conditions drive bacterial and viral evolution across the environment and host. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 474:134811. [PMID: 38850949 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134811] [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: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/10/2024]
Abstract
Water disinfection practices have long been established as a critical engineering intervention for controlling pathogen transmission and safeguarding individual and public health. However, recent discoveries have unveiled the significant role disinfection and post-disinfection play in accelerating the development of resistance to disinfectants and antimicrobial drugs within bacterial and viral communities in the environment. This phenomenon, in turn, may facilitate the emergence of persistent microbes and those with new genetic characteristics. These microbes may thrive in host environments with increased infectivity and resistance, posing challenges to current medical treatments and jeopardizing human health. In this perspective, we illuminate the intricate interplay between aquatic environments, microbes, and hosts and how microbial virulence evolves across the environment and host under the pressure of disinfection and post-disinfection conditions. We aim to draw attention to the previously overlooked potential risks associated with disinfection in driving the virulence evolution of bacteria and viruses, establish connections between pathogens in diverse environments and hosts within the overarching framework of the One Health concept, and ultimately provide guidelines for advancing future water disinfection technologies to effectively curb the spread of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Zhou
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia 20052, United States.
| | - Danmeng Shuai
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia 20052, United States.
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6
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Wu Q, Wu GG, Pan KN, Wang XP, Li HY, Tian Z, Jin RC, Fan NS. Beta-blocker drives the conjugative transfer of multidrug resistance genes in pure and complex biological systems. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2024; 477:135403. [PMID: 39096644 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/05/2024]
Abstract
Drug resistance poses a high risk to human health. Extensive use of non-antibiotic drugs contributes to antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transfer. However, how they affect the spread of broad-host plasmids in complex biological systems remains unknown. This study investigated the effect of metoprolol on the transfer frequency and host range of ARGs in both intrageneric and intergeneric pure culture systems, as well as in anammox microbiome. The results showed that environmental concentrations of metoprolol significantly promoted the intrageneric and intergeneric conjugative transfer. Initially, metoprolol induced excessive oxidative stress, resulting in high cell membrane permeability and bacterial SOS response. Meanwhile, more pili formation increased the adhesion and contact between bacteria, and the abundance of conjugation-related genes also increased significantly. Activation of the electron transport chain provided more ATP for this energy-consuming process. The underlying mechanism was further verified in the complex anammox conjugative system. Metoprolol induced the enrichment of ARGs and mobile genetic elements. The enhanced bacterial interaction and energy generation facilitated the high conjugative transfer frequency of ARGs. In addition, plasmid-borne ARGs tended to transfer to opportunistic pathogens. This work raises public concerns about the health and ecological risks of non-antibiotic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Wu
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Remediation, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Ge-Ge Wu
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Remediation, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Kai-Nan Pan
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Xue-Ping Wang
- Laboratory of Water Pollution Remediation, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121, China
| | - Hong-Yan Li
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Zhe Tian
- Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Science and Technology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2871, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Ren-Cun Jin
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310018, China
| | - Nian-Si Fan
- School of Engineering, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
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7
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Wang S, Ma S, Sun S, Wang Q, Ding Q, Jin L, Chen F, Yin G, Wu X, Wang R, Wang H. Global evolutionary dynamics of virulence genes in ST11-KL47 carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2024; 64:107245. [PMID: 38906484 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2024.107245] [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: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
ST11-KL47 is a hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) that is highly prevalent in China and poses a major public health risk. To investigate the evolutionary dynamics of virulence genes in this subclone, we analysed 78 sequenced isolates obtained from a long-term study across 29 centres from 17 cities in China. Virulence genes were located in large hybrid pNDM-Mar-like plasmids (length: ∼266 kilobases) rather than in classical pK2044-like plasmids. These hybrid plasmids, derived from the fusion of pK2044 and pNDM-Mar plasmids mediated by insertion sequence (IS) elements (such as ISKpn28 and IS26), integrated virulence gene fragments into the chromosome. Analysis of 217 sequences containing the special IncFIB (pNDM-Mar) replicon using public databases indicated that these plasmids typically contained T4SS-related and multiple antimicrobial resistance genes, were present in 24 countries, and were found in humans, animals, and the environment. Notably, the chromosomal integration of virulence genes was observed in strains across five countries across two continents. In vivo and in vitro models showed that the large hybrid plasmid increased the host fitness cost while increasing virulence. Conversely, virulence genes transferred to chromosomes resulted in increased fitness and lower virulence. In conclusion, virulence genes in the plasmids of ST11-KL47 CRKP are evolving, driven by adaptive negative selection, to enable vertical chromosomal inheritance along with conferring a survival advantage and low pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyi Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Ma
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China
| | - Shijun Sun
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Ding
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Longyang Jin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Fengning Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Guankun Yin
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xingyu Wu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Ruobing Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing, China; Institute of Medical Technology, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, China.
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Ai C, Cui P, Liu C, Wu J, Xu Y, Liang X, Yang QE, Tang X, Zhou S, Liao H, Friman VP. Viral and thermal lysis facilitates transmission of antibiotic resistance genes during composting. Appl Environ Microbiol 2024:e0069524. [PMID: 39078126 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00695-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
While the distribution of extracellular ARGs (eARGs) in the environment has been widely reported, the factors governing their release remain poorly understood. Here, we combined multi-omics and direct experimentation to test whether the release and transmission of eARGs are associated with viral lysis and heat during cow manure composting. Our results reveal that the proportion of eARGs increased 2.7-fold during composting, despite a significant and concomitant reduction in intracellular ARG abundances. This relative increase of eARGs was driven by composting temperature and viral lysis of ARG-carrying bacteria based on metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) analysis. Notably, thermal lysis of mesophilic bacteria carrying ARGs was a key factor in releasing eARGs at the thermophilic phase, while viral lysis played a relatively stronger role during the non-thermal phase of composting. Furthermore, MAG-based tracking of ARGs in combination with direct transformation experiments demonstrated that eARGs released during composting pose a potential transmission risk. Our study provides bioinformatic and experimental evidence of the undiscovered role of temperature and viral lysis in co-driving the spread of ARGs in compost microbiomes via the horizontal transfer of environmentally released DNA. IMPORTANCE The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a critical global health concern. Understanding the factors influencing the release of extracellular ARGs (eARGs) is essential for developing effective strategies. In this study, we investigated the association between viral lysis, heat, and eARG release during composting. Our findings revealed a substantial increase in eARGs despite reduced intracellular ARG abundance. Composting temperature and viral lysis were identified as key drivers, with thermal lysis predominant during the thermophilic phase and viral lysis during non-thermal phases. Moreover, eARGs released during composting posed a transmission risk through horizontal gene transfer. This study highlights the significance of temperature and phage lysis in ARG spread, providing valuable insights for mitigating antibiotic resistance threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaofan Ai
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Peng Cui
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering and Technology Research Center for Agricultural Land Pollution Prevention and Control, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chen Liu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiawei Wu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yuan Xu
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaolong Liang
- Key Laboratory of Pollution Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Qiu-E Yang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiang Tang
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shungui Zhou
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hanpeng Liao
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Environmental Health and Regulation, College of Resources and Environment, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
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9
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Peñil-Celis A, Tagg KA, Webb HE, Redondo-Salvo S, Francois Watkins L, Vielva L, Griffin C, Kim JY, Folster JP, Garcillan-Barcia MP, de la Cruz F. Mobile genetic elements define the non-random structure of the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi pangenome. mSystems 2024:e0036524. [PMID: 39058093 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00365-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial relatedness measured using select chromosomal loci forms the basis of public health genomic surveillance. While approximating vertical evolution through this approach has proven exceptionally valuable for understanding pathogen dynamics, it excludes a fundamental dimension of bacterial evolution-horizontal gene transfer. Incorporating the accessory genome is the logical remediation and has recently shown promise in expanding epidemiological resolution for enteric pathogens. Employing k-mer-based Jaccard index analysis, and a novel genome length distance metric, we computed pangenome (i.e., core and accessory) relatedness for the globally important pathogen Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi (Typhi), and graphically express both vertical (homology-by-descent) and horizontal (homology-by-admixture) evolutionary relationships in a reticulate network of over 2,200 U.S. Typhi genomes. This analysis revealed non-random structure in the Typhi pangenome that is driven predominantly by the gain and loss of mobile genetic elements, confirming and expanding upon known epidemiological patterns, revealing novel plasmid dynamics, and identifying avenues for further genomic epidemiological exploration. With an eye to public health application, this work adds important biological context to the rapidly improving ways of analyzing bacterial genetic data and demonstrates the value of the accessory genome to infer pathogen epidemiology and evolution.IMPORTANCEGiven bacterial evolution occurs in both vertical and horizontal dimensions, inclusion of both core and accessory genetic material (i.e., the pangenome) is a logical step toward a more thorough understanding of pathogen dynamics. With an eye to public, and indeed, global health relevance, we couple contemporary tools for genomic analysis with decades of research on mobile genetic elements to demonstrate the value of the pangenome, known and unknown, annotated, and hypothetical, for stratification of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (Typhi) populations. We confirm and expand upon what is known about Typhi epidemiology, plasmids, and antimicrobial resistance dynamics, and offer new avenues of exploration to further deduce Typhi ecology and evolution, and ultimately to reduce the incidence of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arancha Peñil-Celis
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, (CSIC, Universidad de Cantabria), Santander, Spain
| | - Kaitlin A Tagg
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Hattie E Webb
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Santiago Redondo-Salvo
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, (CSIC, Universidad de Cantabria), Santander, Spain
- Biomar Microbial Technologies, León, Spain
| | - Louise Francois Watkins
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Luis Vielva
- Departamento de Ingeniería de las Comunicaciones, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Chelsey Griffin
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), Oak Ridge, Tennessee, USA
| | - Justin Y Kim
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
- ASRT, Inc., Suwanee, Georgia, USA
| | - Jason P Folster
- Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - M Pilar Garcillan-Barcia
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, (CSIC, Universidad de Cantabria), Santander, Spain
| | - Fernando de la Cruz
- Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria, (CSIC, Universidad de Cantabria), Santander, Spain
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10
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Prieto A, Miró L, Margolles Y, Bernabeu M, Salguero D, Merino S, Tomas J, Corbera JA, Perez-Bosque A, Huttener M, Fernández LÁ, Juarez A. Targeting plasmid-encoded proteins that contain immunoglobulin-like domains to combat antimicrobial resistance. eLife 2024; 13:RP95328. [PMID: 39046772 PMCID: PMC11268884 DOI: 10.7554/elife.95328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to human health. Although vaccines have been developed to combat AMR, it has proven challenging to associate specific vaccine antigens with AMR. Bacterial plasmids play a crucial role in the transmission of AMR. Our recent research has identified a group of bacterial plasmids (specifically, IncHI plasmids) that encode large molecular mass proteins containing bacterial immunoglobulin-like domains. These proteins are found on the external surface of the bacterial cells, such as in the flagella or conjugative pili. In this study, we show that these proteins are antigenic and can protect mice from infection caused by an AMR Salmonella strain harboring one of these plasmids. Furthermore, we successfully generated nanobodies targeting these proteins, that were shown to interfere with the conjugative transfer of IncHI plasmids. Considering that these proteins are also encoded in other groups of plasmids, such as IncA/C and IncP2, targeting them could be a valuable strategy in combating AMR infections caused by bacteria harboring different groups of AMR plasmids. Since the selected antigens are directly linked to AMR itself, the protective effect extends beyond specific microorganisms to include all those carrying the corresponding resistance plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Prieto
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Luïsa Miró
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut de Nutrició i Seguretat Alimentària, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Yago Margolles
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Manuel Bernabeu
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - David Salguero
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Susana Merino
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Joan Tomas
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Juan Alberto Corbera
- Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Biomédicas y Sanitarias (IUIBS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), Campus Universitario de ArucasLas PalmasSpain
| | - Anna Perez-Bosque
- Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institut de Nutrició i Seguretat Alimentària, Universitat de BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Mario Huttener
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Luis Ángel Fernández
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CNB-CSIC)MadridSpain
| | - Antonio Juarez
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Statistics, University of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
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11
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Kadibalban AS, Landan G, Dagan T. The extent and characteristics of DNA transfer between plasmids and chromosomes. Curr Biol 2024; 34:3189-3200.e5. [PMID: 38964320 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.030] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements that reside in prokaryotes. The acquisition of plasmids encoding beneficial traits can facilitate short-term survival in harsh environmental conditions or long-term adaptation of new ecological niches. Due to their ability to transfer between cells, plasmids are considered agents of gene transfer. Nonetheless, the frequency of DNA transfer between plasmids and chromosomes remains understudied. Using a novel approach for detection of homologous loci between genome pairs, we uncover gene sharing with the chromosome in 1,974 (66%) plasmids residing in 1,016 (78%) taxonomically diverse isolates. The majority of homologous loci correspond to mobile elements, which may be duplicated in the host chromosomes in tens of copies. Neighboring shared genes often encode similar functional categories, indicating the transfer of multigene functional units. Rare transfer events of antibiotics resistance genes are observed mainly with mobile elements. The frequent erosion of sequence similarity in homologous regions indicates that the transferred DNA is often devoid of function. DNA transfer between plasmids and chromosomes thus generates genetic variation that is akin to workings of endosymbiotic gene transfer in eukaryotic evolution. Our findings imply that plasmid contribution to gene transfer most often corresponds to transfer of the plasmid entity rather than transfer of protein-coding genes between plasmids and chromosomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Samer Kadibalban
- Institute of General Microbiology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 11, Kiel 24118, Germany
| | - Giddy Landan
- Institute of General Microbiology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 11, Kiel 24118, Germany
| | - Tal Dagan
- Institute of General Microbiology, Kiel University, Am Botanischen Garten 11, Kiel 24118, Germany.
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12
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Huang X, Ning N, Li D, Chen S, Zhang L, Wang H, Bao C, Yang X, Li B, Wang H. Molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii during COVID-19 at a hospital in northern China. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2024; 23:63. [PMID: 39026334 PMCID: PMC11264759 DOI: 10.1186/s12941-024-00716-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The wide spread of carbapenem-resistance clones of Acinetobacter baumannii has made it a global public problem. Some studies have shown that the prevalence of Acinetobacter baumannii clones can change over time. However, few studies with respect to the change of epidemiological clones in Acinetobacter baumannii during Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) were reported. This study aims to investigate the molecular epidemiology and resistance mechanisms of Acinetobacter baumannii during COVID-19. RESULTS A total of 95 non-replicated Acinetobacter baumannii isolates were enrolled in this study, of which 60.0% (n = 57) were identified as carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB). The positive rate of the blaOXA-23 gene in CRAB isolates was 100%. A total of 28 Oxford sequence types (STs) were identified, of which the most prevalent STs were ST540 (n = 13, 13.7%), ST469 (n = 13, 13.7%), ST373 (n = 8, 8.4%), ST938 (n = 7, 7.4%) and ST208 (n = 6, 6.3%). Differently, the most widespread clone of Acinetobacter baumannii in China during COVID-19 was ST208 (22.1%). Further study of multidrug-resistant ST540 showed that all of them were carrying blaOXA-23, blaOXA-66, blaADC-25 and blaTEM-1D, simultaneously, and first detected Tn2009 in ST540. The blaOXA-23 gene was located on transposons Tn2006 or Tn2009. In addition, the ST540 strain also contains a drug-resistant plasmid with msr(E), armA, sul1 and mph(E) genes. CONCLUSION The prevalent clones of Acinetobacter baumannii in our organization have changed during COVID-19, which was different from that of China. ST540 strains which carried multiple drug-resistant mobile elements was spreading, indicating that it is essential to strengthen the molecular epidemiology of Acinetobacter baumannii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinlin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongda Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100071, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Fifth Medical Center, Chinese Peoples's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No. 100 Western 4th Middle Ring Road, Beijing, 100039, China
- School of Medical Laboratory, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, China
| | - Nianzhi Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongda Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Deyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongda Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Suming Chen
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Fifth Medical Center, Chinese Peoples's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No. 100 Western 4th Middle Ring Road, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Liangyan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongda Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Fifth Medical Center, Chinese Peoples's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No. 100 Western 4th Middle Ring Road, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Chunmei Bao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Fifth Medical Center, Chinese Peoples's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No. 100 Western 4th Middle Ring Road, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Xiaolan Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongda Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Boan Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Fifth Medical Center, Chinese Peoples's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital, No. 100 Western 4th Middle Ring Road, Beijing, 100039, China.
- School of Medical Laboratory, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, China.
| | - Hui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, No. 20 Dongda Street, Fengtai District, Beijing, 100071, China.
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13
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Wei L, Han Y, Zheng J, Xu X, Zhu L. Accelerated dissemination of antibiotic resistant genes via conjugative transfer driven by deficient denitrification in biochar-based biofiltration systems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:173268. [PMID: 38754503 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173268] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Biofiltration systems harbored and disseminated antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), when confronting antibiotic-contained wastewater. Biochar, a widely used environmental remediation material, can mitigate antibiotic stress on adjoining microbes by lowering the availability of sorbed antibiotics, and enhance the attachment of denitrifiers. Herein, bench-scale biofiltration systems, packed with commercial biochars, were established to explore the pivotal drivers affecting ARG emergence. Results showed that biofiltration columns, achieving higher TN removal and denitrification capacity, showed a significant decrease in ARG accumulation (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of ARGs (0.014 ± 0.0008) in the attached biofilms decreased to 1/5-folds of that in the control group (0.065 ± 0.004). Functional analysis indicated ARGs' accumulation was less attributed to ARG activation or horizontal gene transfer (HGT) driven by sorbed antibiotics. Most denitrifiers, like Bradyrhizobium, Geothrix, etc., were found to be enriched and host ARGs. Nitrosative stress from deficient denitrification was demonstrated to be the dominant driver for affecting ARG accumulation and dissemination. Metagenomic and metaproteomic analysis revealed that nitrosative stress promoted the conjugative HGT of ARGs mainly via increasing the transmembrane permeability and enhancing the amino acid transport and metabolism, such as cysteine, methionine, and valine metabolism. Overall, this study highlighted the risks of deficient denitrification in promoting ARG transfer and transmission in biofiltration systems and natural ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lecheng Wei
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University
| | - Yutong Han
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University
| | - Jingjing Zheng
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University
| | - Xiangyang Xu
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory for Water Pollution Control and Environmental Safety, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Liang Zhu
- Institute of Environment Pollution Control and Treatment, College of Environmental and Resource Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory for Water Pollution Control and Environmental Safety, Hangzhou 310058, China; Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory of Water Pollution Control, Hangzhou 310058, China; Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta, Zhejiang University.
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14
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Alves J, Dry I, White JH, Dryden DTF, Lynskey NN. Generation of tools for expression and purification of the phage-encoded Type I restriction enzyme inhibitor, Ocr. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2024; 170. [PMID: 39042422 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
DNA manipulation is an essential tool in molecular microbiology research that is dependent on the ability of bacteria to take up and preserve foreign DNA by horizontal gene transfer. This process can be significantly impaired by the activity of bacterial restriction modification systems; bacterial operons comprising paired enzymatic activities that protectively methylate host DNA, while cleaving incoming unmodified foreign DNA. Ocr is a phage-encoded protein that inhibits Type I restriction modification systems, the addition of which significantly improves bacterial transformation efficiency. We recently established an improved and highly efficient transformation protocol for the important human pathogen group A Streptococcus using commercially available recombinant Ocr protein, manufacture of which has since been discontinued. In order to ensure the continued availability of Ocr protein within the research community, we have generated tools and methods for in-house Ocr production and validated the activity of the purified recombinant protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Alves
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Scotland, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - Inga Dry
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Scotland, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - John H White
- EaStCHEM School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, The King's Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3FJ, UK
| | - David T F Dryden
- Department of Biosciences, University of Durham, South Road, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Nicola N Lynskey
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, Scotland, EH25 9RG, UK
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15
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Hu Q, Zhang L, Yang R, Tang J, Dong G. Quaternary ammonium biocides promote conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance gene in structure- and species-dependent manner. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 189:108812. [PMID: 38878503 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108812] [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: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/19/2024]
Abstract
The linkage between biocides and antibiotic resistance has been widely suggested in laboratories and various environments. However, the action mechanism of biocides on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) spread is still unclear. Thus, 6 quaternary ammonium biocides (QACs) with different bonded substituents or alkyl chain lengths were selected to assess their effects on the conjugation transfer of ARGs in this study. Two conjugation models with the same donor (E. coli DH5α (RP4)) into two receptors, E. coli MG1655 and pathogenic S. sonnei SE6-1, were constructed. All QACs were found to significantly promote intra- and inter-genus conjugative transfer of ARGs, and the frequency was highly impacted by their structure and receptors. At the same environmental exposure level (4 × 10-1 mg/L), didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride (DDAC (C10)) promoted the most frequency of conjugative transfer, while benzathine chloride (BEC) promoted the least. With the same donor, the enhanced frequency of QACs of intra-transfer is higher than inter-transfer. Then, the acquisition mechanisms of two receptors were further determined using biochemical combined with transcriptome analysis. For the recipient E. coli, the promotion of the intragenus conjugative transfer may be associated with increased cell membrane permeability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and proton motive force (PMF)-induced enhancement of flagellar motility. Whereas, the increase of cell membrane permeability and decreased flagellar motility due to PMF disruption but encouraged biofilm formation, maybe the main reasons for promoting intergenus conjugative transfer in the recipient S. sonnei. As one pathogenic bacterium, S. sonnei was first found to acquire ARGs by biocide exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qin Hu
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China; State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China
| | - Lilan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China; State Key Laboratory of Coal Mine Disaster Dynamics and Control, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China.
| | - Rui Yang
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Jialin Tang
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
| | - Guoliang Dong
- Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region's Eco-environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
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16
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Shi Z, Lan Y, Wang Y, Yan X, Ma X, Hassan FU, Rushdi HE, Xu Z, Wang W, Deng T. Multi-omics strategy reveals potential role of antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor genes responsible for Simmental diarrheic calves caused by Escherichia coli. mSystems 2024; 9:e0134823. [PMID: 38742910 PMCID: PMC11237395 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.01348-23] [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: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Escherichia coli (E. coli) is reported to be an important pathogen associated with calf diarrhea. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) pose a considerable threat to both animal and human health. However, little is known about the characterization of ARGs and VFGs presented in the gut microbiota of diarrheic calves caused by E. coli. In this study, we used multi-omics strategy to analyze the ARG and VFG profiles of Simmental calves with diarrhea caused by E. coli K99. We found that gut bacterial composition and their microbiome metabolic functions varied greatly in diarrheic calves compared to healthy calves. In total, 175 ARGs were identified, and diarrheal calves showed a significantly higher diversity and abundance of ARGs than healthy calves. Simmental calves with diarrhea showed higher association of VFGs with pili function, curli assembly, and ferrienterobactin transport of E. coli. Co-occurrence patterns based on Pearson correlation analysis revealed that E. coli had a highly significant (P < 0.0001) correlation coefficient (>0.8) with 16 ARGs and 7 VFGs. Metabolomics analysis showed that differentially expressed metabolites in Simmental calves with diarrhea displayed a high correlation with the aforementioned ARGs and VFGs. Phylotype analysis of E. coli genomes showed that the predominant phylogroup B1 in diarrheic Simmental calves was associated with 10 ARGs and 3 VFGs. These findings provide an overview of the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiota in diarrheic calves caused by E. coli and pave the way for further studies on the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and virulence in the calves affected with diarrhea.IMPORTANCESimmental is a well-recognized beef cattle breed worldwide. They also suffer significant economic losses due to diarrhea. In this study, fecal metagenomic analysis was applied to characterize the antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) and virulence factor gene (VFG) profiles of diarrheic Simmental calves. We identified key ARGs and VFGs correlated with Escherichia coli isolated from Simmental calves. Additionally, metabolomics analysis showed that differentially expressed metabolites in Simmental calves with diarrhea displayed a high correlation with the aforementioned ARGs and VFGs. Our findings provide an insight into the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiota in diarrheic calves caused by Escherichia coli and pave the way for further studies on the mechanisms of antibiotic resistance and virulence in the diarrheal calves from cattle hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihai Shi
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yali Lan
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Yazhou Wang
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiangzhou Yan
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiaoya Ma
- Guangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction Technology, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Faiz-Ul Hassan
- Institute of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Hossam E Rushdi
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Zhaoxue Xu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Wenjia Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan University of Animal Husbandry and Economy, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Tingxian Deng
- Guangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction Technology, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, China
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17
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Banerjee P, Eulenstein O, Friedberg I. Discovering genomic islands in unannotated bacterial genomes using sequence embedding. BIOINFORMATICS ADVANCES 2024; 4:vbae089. [PMID: 38911822 PMCID: PMC11193100 DOI: 10.1093/bioadv/vbae089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Motivation Genomic islands (GEIs) are clusters of genes in bacterial genomes that are typically acquired by horizontal gene transfer. GEIs play a crucial role in the evolution of bacteria by rapidly introducing genetic diversity and thus helping them adapt to changing environments. Specifically of interest to human health, many GEIs contain pathogenicity and antimicrobial resistance genes. Detecting GEIs is, therefore, an important problem in biomedical and environmental research. There have been many previous studies for computationally identifying GEIs. Still, most of these studies rely on detecting anomalies in the unannotated nucleotide sequences or on a fixed set of known features on annotated nucleotide sequences. Results Here, we present TreasureIsland, which uses a new unsupervised representation of DNA sequences to predict GEIs. We developed a high-precision boundary detection method featuring an incremental fine-tuning of GEI borders, and we evaluated the accuracy of this framework using a new comprehensive reference dataset, Benbow. We show that TreasureIsland's accuracy rivals other GEI predictors, enabling efficient and faster identification of GEIs in unannotated bacterial genomes. Availability and implementation TreasureIsland is available under an MIT license at: https://github.com/FriedbergLab/GenomicIslandPrediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Banerjee
- Department of Computer Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, United States
| | - Oliver Eulenstein
- Department of Computer Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, United States
| | - Iddo Friedberg
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, United States
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18
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Liu W, Xie WY, Liu HJ, Chen C, Chen SY, Jiang GF, Zhao FJ. Assessing intracellular and extracellular distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in the commercial organic fertilizers. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 929:172558. [PMID: 38643884 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172558] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Compost-based organic fertilizers often contain high levels of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Previous studies focused on quantification of total ARGs and MGEs. For a more accurate risk assessment of the dissemination risk of antibiotic resistance, it is necessary to quantify the intracellular and extracellular distribution of ARGs and MGEs. In the present study, extracellular ARGs and MGEs (eARGs and eMGEs) and intracellular ARGs and MGEs (iARGs and iMGEs) were separately analyzed in 51 commercial composts derived from different raw materials by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and metagenomic sequencing. Results showed that eARGs and eMGEs accounted for 11-56% and 4-45% of the total absolute abundance of ARGs and MGEs, respectively. Comparable diversity, host composition and association with MGEs were observed between eARGs and iARGs. Contents of high-risk ARGs were similar between eARGs and iARGs, with high-risk ARGs in the two forms accounting for 6.7% and 8.2% of the total abundances, respectively. Twenty-four percent of the overall ARGs were present in plasmids, while 56.7% of potentially mobile ARGs were found to be associated with plasmids. Variation partitioning analysis, null model and neutral community model indicated that the compositions of both eARGs and iARGs were largely driven by deterministic mechanisms. These results provide important insights into the cellular distribution of ARGs in manure composts that should be paid with specific attention in risk assessment and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Wan-Ying Xie
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
| | - Hong-Jun Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Chuan Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Shu-Yao Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Gao-Fei Jiang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Fang-Jie Zhao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Organic Waste Utilization, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center for Solid Organic Waste Resource Utilization, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
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19
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You Z, Wang C, Yang X, Liu Z, Guan Y, Mu J, Shi H, Zhao Z. Effects of eutrophication on the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in microalgal-bacterial symbiotic systems. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118692. [PMID: 38493856 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118692] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Overloading of nutrients such as nitrogen causes eutrophication of freshwater bodies. The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) poses a threat to ecosystems. However, studies on the enrichment and spread of ARGs from increased nitrogen loading in algal-bacterial symbiotic systems are limited. In this study, the transfer of extracellular kanamycin resistance (KR) genes from large (RP4) small (pEASY-T1) plasmids into the intracellular and extracellular DNA (iDNA, eDNA) of the inter-algal environment of Chlorella pyrenoidosa was investigated, along with the community structure of free-living (FL) and particle-attached (PA) bacteria under different nitrogen source concentrations (0-2.5 g/L KNO3). The results showed that KR gene abundance in the eDNA adsorbed on solid particles (D-eDNA) increased initially and then decreased with increasing nitrogen concentration, while the opposite was true for the rest of the free eDNA (E-eDNA). Medium nitrogen concentrations promoted the transfer of extracellular KR genes into the iDNA attached to algal microorganisms (A-iDNA), eDNA attached to algae (B-eDNA), and the iDNA of free microorganisms (C-iDNA); high nitrogen contributed to the transfer of KR genes into C-iDNA. The highest percentage of KR genes was found in B-eDNA with RP4 plasmid treatment (66.2%) and in C-iDNA with pEASY-T1 plasmid treatment (86.88%). In addition, dissolved oxygen (DO) significantly affected the bacterial PA and FL community compositions. Nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) reflected the abundance of ARGs in algae. Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Bacteroidota, and Actinobacteriota were the main potential hosts of ARGs. These findings provide new insights into the distribution and dispersal of ARGs in the phytoplankton inter-algal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziqi You
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China.
| | - Ce Wang
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Xiaobin Yang
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Zikuo Liu
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Yueqiang Guan
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Jiandong Mu
- Hebei Ocean and Fisheries Science Research Institute, Qinhuangdao, 066200, China
| | - Huijuan Shi
- Museum of Hebei University, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China.
| | - Zhao Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, Institute of Life Science and Green Development, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China.
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Zhang X, Ma Z, Hao P, Ji S, Gao Y. Characteristics and health impacts of bioaerosols in animal barns: A comprehensive study. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 278:116381. [PMID: 38676963 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116381] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Bioaerosols produced during animal production have potential adverse effects on the health of workers and animals. Our objective was to investigate characteristics, antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs), and health risks of bioaerosols in various animal barns. Poultry and swine barns had high concentrations of airborne bacteria (11156 and 10917 CFU/m3, respectively). Acinetobacter, Clostridium sensu stricto, Corynebacterium, Pseudomonas, Psychrobacter, Streptococcus, and Staphylococcus were dominant pathogenic bacteria in animal barns, with Firmicutes being the most abundant bacterial phylum. Based on linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), there were more discriminative biomarkers in cattle barns than in poultry or swine barns, although the latter had the highest abundance of bacterial pathogens and high abundances of ARGs (including tetM, tetO, tetQ, tetW sul1, sul2, ermA, ermB) and intI1). Based on network analyses, there were higher co-occurrence patterns between bacteria and ARGs in bioaerosol from swine barns. Furthermore, in these barns, relative abundance of bacteria in bioaerosol samples was greatly affected by environmental factors, mainly temperature, relative humidity, and concentrations of CO2, NH3, and PM2.5. This study provided novel data regarding airborne bio-contaminants in animal enclosures and an impetus to improve management to reduce potential health impacts on humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiqing Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Zhenhua Ma
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Peng Hao
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Shaoze Ji
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun 130118, China
| | - Yunhang Gao
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Agriculture University, Changchun 130118, China.
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21
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Li H, Wang Q, Wang Y, Liu Y, Zhou J, Wang T, Zhu L, Guo J. EDTA enables to alleviate impacts of metal ions on conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 257:121659. [PMID: 38692255 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121659] [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: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Various heavy metals are reported to be able to accelerate horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In real water environmental settings, ubiquitous complexing agents would affect the environmental behaviors of heavy metal ions due to the formation of metal-organic complexes. However, little is known whether the presence of complexing agents would change horizontal gene transfer due to heavy metal exposure. This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the impacts of a typical complexing agent ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) on the conjugative transfer of plasmid-mediated ARGs induced by a range of heavy metal ions. At the environmentally relevant concentration (0.64 mg L-1) of metal ions, all the tested metal ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, Co2+, Pb2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, and Fe3+) promoted conjugative transfer of ARGs, while an inhibitory effect was observed at a relatively higher concentration (3.20 mg L-1). In contrast, EDTA (0.64 mg L-1) alleviated the effects of metal ions on ARGs conjugation transfer, evidenced by 11 %-66 % reduction in the conjugate transfer frequency. Molecular docking and dynamics simulations disclosed that this is attributed to the stronger binding of metal ions with the lipids in cell membranes. Under metal-EDTA exposure, gene expressions related to oxidative stress response, cell membrane permeability, intercellular contact, energy driving force, mobilization, and channels of plasmid transfer were suppressed compared with the metal ions exposure. This study offers insights into the alleviation mechanisms of complexing agents on ARGs transfer induced by free metal ions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Li
- School of Ecology and Environment, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, PR China; Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Qi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Yanjie Wang
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Yue Liu
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China
| | - Tiecheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Low-carbon Green Agriculture in Northwestern China, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs; College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province 712100, PR China.
| | - Lingyan Zhu
- College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, PR China
| | - Jianhua Guo
- Australian Centre for Water and Environmental Biotechnology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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22
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Kerek Á, Németh V, Szabó Á, Papp M, Bányai K, Kardos G, Kaszab E, Bali K, Nagy Z, Süth M, Jerzsele Á. Monitoring Changes in the Antimicrobial-Resistance Gene Set (ARG) of Raw Milk and Dairy Products in a Cattle Farm, from Production to Consumption. Vet Sci 2024; 11:265. [PMID: 38922012 PMCID: PMC11209563 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci11060265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Raw milk and dairy products can serve as potential vectors for transmissible bacterial, viral and protozoal diseases, alongside harboring antimicrobial-resistance genes. This study monitors the changes in the antimicrobial-resistance gene pool in raw milk and cheese, from farm to consumer, utilizing next-generation sequencing. Five parallel sampling runs were conducted to assess the resistance gene pool, as well as phage or plasmid carriage and potential mobility. In terms of taxonomic composition, in raw milk the Firmicutes phylum made up 41%, while the Proteobacteria phylum accounted for 58%. In fresh cheese, this ratio shifted to 93% Firmicutes and 7% Proteobacteria. In matured cheese, the composition was 79% Firmicutes and 21% Proteobacteria. In total, 112 antimicrobial-resistance genes were identified. While a notable reduction in the resistance gene pool was observed in the freshly made raw cheese compared to the raw milk samples, a significant growth in the resistance gene pool occurred after one month of maturation, surpassing the initial gene frequency. Notably, the presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) genes, such as OXA-662 (100% coverage, 99.3% identity) and OXA-309 (97.1% coverage, 96.2% identity), raised concerns; these genes have a major public health relevance. In total, nineteen such genes belonging to nine gene families (ACT, CMY, EC, ORN, OXA, OXY, PLA, RAHN, TER) have been identified. The largest number of resistance genes were identified against fluoroquinolone drugs, which determined efflux pumps predominantly. Our findings underscore the importance of monitoring gene pool variations throughout the product pathway and the potential for horizontal gene transfer in raw products. We advocate the adoption of a new approach to food safety investigations, incorporating next-generation sequencing techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ádám Kerek
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (V.N.); (Á.S.); (K.B.); (Á.J.)
- National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (M.P.); (G.K.); (E.K.); (K.B.); (M.S.)
| | - Virág Németh
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (V.N.); (Á.S.); (K.B.); (Á.J.)
| | - Ábel Szabó
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (V.N.); (Á.S.); (K.B.); (Á.J.)
| | - Márton Papp
- National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (M.P.); (G.K.); (E.K.); (K.B.); (M.S.)
- Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Krisztián Bányai
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (V.N.); (Á.S.); (K.B.); (Á.J.)
- National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (M.P.); (G.K.); (E.K.); (K.B.); (M.S.)
- Veterinary Medical Research Institute, HUN-REN, Hungária krt. 21, H-1143, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Gábor Kardos
- National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (M.P.); (G.K.); (E.K.); (K.B.); (M.S.)
- One Health Institute, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- National Public Health Center, Albert Flórián út 2-6, H-1097 Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Gerontology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Debrecen, Sóstói út 2-4, H-4400 Nyiregyhaza, Hungary
| | - Eszter Kaszab
- National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (M.P.); (G.K.); (E.K.); (K.B.); (M.S.)
- One Health Institute, University of Debrecen, Nagyerdei krt. 98, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Krisztina Bali
- National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (M.P.); (G.K.); (E.K.); (K.B.); (M.S.)
- Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Zoltán Nagy
- Biological Research and Development Department, CEVA-Phlyaxia Zrt., Szállás utca 5, H-1107 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Miklós Süth
- National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (M.P.); (G.K.); (E.K.); (K.B.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Food Chain Science, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ákos Jerzsele
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Veterinary Medicine, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (V.N.); (Á.S.); (K.B.); (Á.J.)
- National Laboratory of Infectious Animal Diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance, Veterinary Public Health and Food Chain Safety, University of Veterinary Medicine Budapest, István utca 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary; (M.P.); (G.K.); (E.K.); (K.B.); (M.S.)
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23
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Torrance EL, Diop A, Bobay LM. Homologous Recombination Shapes the Architecture and Evolution of Bacterial Genomes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.31.596828. [PMID: 38895235 PMCID: PMC11185547 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.31.596828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Homologous recombination is a key evolutionary force that varies considerably across bacterial species. However, how the landscape of homologous recombination varies across genes and within individual genomes has only been studied in a few species. Here, we used Approximate Bayesian Computation to estimate the recombination rate along the genomes of 145 bacterial species. Our results show that homologous recombination varies greatly along bacterial genomes and shapes many aspects of genome architecture and evolution. The genomic landscape of recombination presents several key signatures: rates are highest near the origin of replication in most species, patterns of recombination generally appear symmetrical in both replichores (i.e. replicational halves of circular chromosomes) and most species have genomic hotpots of recombination. Furthermore, many closely related species share conserved landscapes of recombination across orthologs indicating that recombination landscapes are conserved over significant evolutionary distances. We show evidence that recombination drives the evolution of GC-content through increasing the effectiveness of selection and not through biased gene conversion, thereby contributing to an ongoing debate. Finally, we demonstrate that the rate of recombination varies across gene function and that many hotspots of recombination are associated with adaptive and mobile regions often encoding genes involved in pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellis L Torrance
- Dept. of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412
- Systems Biology Dept., Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 94551
| | - Awa Diop
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
| | - Louis-Marie Bobay
- Dept. of Biology, University of North Carolina Greensboro, Greensboro, NC 27412
- Dept. of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695
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24
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Zhang P, Zhang B, Ji Y, Jiao J, Zhang Z, Tian C. Cofitness network connectivity determines a fuzzy essential zone in open bacterial pangenome. MLIFE 2024; 3:277-290. [PMID: 38948139 PMCID: PMC11211677 DOI: 10.1002/mlf2.12132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Most in silico evolutionary studies commonly assumed that core genes are essential for cellular function, while accessory genes are dispensable, particularly in nutrient-rich environments. However, this assumption is seldom tested genetically within the pangenome context. In this study, we conducted a robust pangenomic Tn-seq analysis of fitness genes in a nutrient-rich medium for Sinorhizobium strains with a canonical open pangenome. To evaluate the robustness of fitness category assignment, Tn-seq data for three independent mutant libraries per strain were analyzed by three methods, which indicates that the Hidden Markov Model (HMM)-based method is most robust to variations between mutant libraries and not sensitive to data size, outperforming the Bayesian and Monte Carlo simulation-based methods. Consequently, the HMM method was used to classify the fitness category. Fitness genes, categorized as essential (ES), advantage (GA), and disadvantage (GD) genes for growth, are enriched in core genes, while nonessential genes (NE) are over-represented in accessory genes. Accessory ES/GA genes showed a lower fitness effect than core ES/GA genes. Connectivity degrees in the cofitness network decrease in the order of ES, GD, and GA/NE. In addition to accessory genes, 1599 out of 3284 core genes display differential essentiality across test strains. Within the pangenome core, both shared quasi-essential (ES and GA) and strain-dependent fitness genes are enriched in similar functional categories. Our analysis demonstrates a considerable fuzzy essential zone determined by cofitness connectivity degrees in Sinorhizobium pangenome and highlights the power of the cofitness network in understanding the genetic basis of ever-increasing prokaryotic pangenome data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, and College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research CenterChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Biliang Zhang
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research CenterChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Biotechnology Breeding, and College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Yuan‐Yuan Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, and College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research CenterChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Jian Jiao
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, and College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research CenterChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Ziding Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Biotechnology Breeding, and College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Chang‐Fu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Plant Environmental Resilience, and College of Biological SciencesChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
- MOA Key Laboratory of Soil Microbiology, and Rhizobium Research CenterChina Agricultural UniversityBeijingChina
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25
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Zhang F, Shi X, Xu J, Yuan W, Li Z. Tandem gene duplication selected by activation of horizontally transferred gene in bacteria. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2024; 108:340. [PMID: 38777914 PMCID: PMC11111574 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-024-13160-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer occurs frequently in bacteria, but the mechanism driving activation and optimization of the expression of horizontally transferred genes (HTGs) in new recipient strains is not clear. Our previous study found that spontaneous tandem DNA duplication resulted in rapid activation of HTGs. Here, we took advantage of this finding to develop a novel technique for tandem gene duplication, named tandem gene duplication selected by activation of horizontally transferred gene in bacteria (TDAH), in which tandem duplication was selected by the activation of horizontally transferred selectable marker gene. TDAH construction does not contain any reported functional elements based on homologous or site-specific recombination and DNA amplification. TDAH only contains an essential selectable marker for copy number selection and 9-bp-microhomology border sequences for precise illegitimate recombination. One transformation and 3 days were enough to produce a high-copy strain, so its procedure is simple and fast. Without subsequent knockout of the endogenous recombination system, TDAH could also generate the relatively stable high-copy tandem duplication for plasmid-carried and genome-integrated DNA. TDAH also showed an excellent capacity for increase gene expression and worked well in different industrial bacteria. We also applied TDAH to select the optimal high copy number of ribA for vitamin B2 production in E. coli; the yield was improved by 3.5 times and remained stable even after 12 subcultures. TDAH is a useful tool for recombinant protein production and expression optimization of biosynthetic pathways. KEY POINTS: • We develop a novel and efficient technique (TDAH) for tandem gene duplication in bacterium. TDAH is based on the mechanism of HTG rapid activation. TDAH does not contain any reported functional elements based on homologous recombination and DNA amplification. TDAH only contains an essential selectable marker for copy number selection, so its construction and procedure are very simple and fast. • TDAH is the first reported selected and stable tandem-gene-duplication technique in which the selected high-copy plasmid-carried and genome-integrated DNA could remain stable without the subsequent knockout of recombination system. • TDAH showed an excellent capacity for regulating gene expression and worked well in different industrial bacteria, indicating it is a useful tool for recombinant protein production and expression optimization of biosynthetic pathways. • TDAH was applied to select the optimal high copy number of ribA for vitamin B2 production in E. coli; the yield was improved by 3.5-fold and remained stable even after 12 subcultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangqing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
- Key Lab of Industrial Fermentation Microbiology of the Ministry of Education, School of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, China
| | - Xinxin Shi
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Wen Yuan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Zhichao Li
- Key Laboratory of Systems Microbial Biotechnology, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, China.
- National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308, China.
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26
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Peng X, Zhou J, Lan Z, Tan R, Chen T, Shi D, Li H, Yang Z, Zhou S, Jin M, Li JW, Yang D. Carbonaceous particulate matter promotes the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE. PROCESSES & IMPACTS 2024; 26:915-927. [PMID: 38618896 DOI: 10.1039/d3em00547j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
There is growing concern about the transfer of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in airborne particulate matter. In this study, we investigated the effects of various types of carbonaceous particulate matter (CPM) on the transfer of ARGs in vitro. The results showed that CPM promoted the transfer of ARGs, which was related to the concentration and particle size. Compared with the control group, the transfer frequency was 95.5, 74.7, 65.4, 14.7, and 3.8 times higher in G (graphene), CB (carbon black), NGP (nanographite powder), GP1.6 (graphite powder 1.6 micron), and GP45 (graphite powder 45 micron) groups, respectively. Moreover, the transfer frequency gradually increased with the increase in CPM concentration, while there was a negative relationship between the CPM particle size and conjugative transfer frequency. In addition, the results showed that CPM could promote the transfer of ARGs by increasing ROS, as well as activating the SOS response and expression of conjugative transfer-related genes (trbBp, trfAp, korA, kroB, and trbA). These findings are indicative of the potential risk of CPM for the transfer of ARGs in the environment, enriching our understanding of environmental pollution and further raising awareness of environmental protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuexia Peng
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Jiake Zhou
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Zishu Lan
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Rong Tan
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Tianjiao Chen
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Danyang Shi
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Haibei Li
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Zhongwei Yang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Shuqing Zhou
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Min Jin
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Jun-Wen Li
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
| | - Dong Yang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, No. 1 Dali Road, Tianjin 300050, P. R. China.
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27
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Fujino T, Sonoda R, Higashinagata T, Mishiro-Sato E, Kano K, Murakami H. Ser/Leu-swapped cell-free translation system constructed with natural/in vitro transcribed-hybrid tRNA set. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4143. [PMID: 38755134 PMCID: PMC11099018 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48056-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The Ser/Leu-swapped genetic code can act as a genetic firewall, mitigating biohazard risks arising from horizontal gene transfer in genetically modified organisms. Our prior work demonstrated the orthogonality of this swapped code to the standard genetic code using a cell-free translation system comprised of 21 in vitro transcribed tRNAs. In this study, to advance this system for protein engineering, we introduce a natural/in vitro transcribed-hybrid tRNA set. This set combines natural tRNAs from Escherichia coli (excluding Ser, Leu, and Tyr) and in vitro transcribed tRNAs, encompassing anticodon-swapped tRNASerGAG and tRNALeuGGA. This approach reduces the number of in vitro transcribed tRNAs required from 21 to only 4. In this optimized system, the production of a model protein, superfolder green fluorescent protein, increases to 3.5-fold. With this hybrid tRNA set, the Ser/Leu-swapped cell-free translation system will stand as a potent tool for protein production with reduced biohazard concerns in future biological endeavors.
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MESH Headings
- Cell-Free System
- Protein Biosynthesis
- Escherichia coli/genetics
- Escherichia coli/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer, Leu/genetics
- RNA, Transfer, Leu/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer, Ser/metabolism
- RNA, Transfer, Ser/genetics
- Genetic Code
- RNA, Transfer/genetics
- RNA, Transfer/metabolism
- Green Fluorescent Proteins/metabolism
- Green Fluorescent Proteins/genetics
- Protein Engineering/methods
- Transcription, Genetic
- Anticodon/genetics
- Anticodon/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoshige Fujino
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Ryogo Sonoda
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Taito Higashinagata
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Emi Mishiro-Sato
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Keiko Kano
- Institute of Transformative Bio-Molecules (WPI-ITbM), Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Murakami
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
- Institute of Nano-Life-Systems, Institutes of Innovation for Future Society, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Japan.
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28
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Ralhan K, Iyer KA, Diaz LL, Bird R, Maind A, Zhou QA. Navigating Antibacterial Frontiers: A Panoramic Exploration of Antibacterial Landscapes, Resistance Mechanisms, and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:1483-1519. [PMID: 38691668 PMCID: PMC11091902 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00115] [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: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
The development of effective antibacterial solutions has become paramount in maintaining global health in this era of increasing bacterial threats and rampant antibiotic resistance. Traditional antibiotics have played a significant role in combating bacterial infections throughout history. However, the emergence of novel resistant strains necessitates constant innovation in antibacterial research. We have analyzed the data on antibacterials from the CAS Content Collection, the largest human-curated collection of published scientific knowledge, which has proven valuable for quantitative analysis of global scientific knowledge. Our analysis focuses on mining the CAS Content Collection data for recent publications (since 2012). This article aims to explore the intricate landscape of antibacterial research while reviewing the advancement from traditional antibiotics to novel and emerging antibacterial strategies. By delving into the resistance mechanisms, this paper highlights the need to find alternate strategies to address the growing concern.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Leilani Lotti Diaz
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Robert Bird
- CAS,
A Division of the American Chemical Society, Columbus, Ohio 43210, United States
| | - Ankush Maind
- ACS
International India Pvt. Ltd., Pune 411044, India
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29
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Kato A. Development of conjugation-mediated versatile site-specific single-copy luciferase fusion system. J GEN APPL MICROBIOL 2024; 69:318-326. [PMID: 37940551 DOI: 10.2323/jgam.2023.10.001] [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] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
There are a number of reporter systems that are useful for gene expression analysis in bacteria. However, at least in Salmonella, a versatile and simple luciferase reporter system that can be integrated precisely behind a promoter or gene of interest on a chromosome is not currently available. The luciferase operon luxCDABE from Photorhabdus luminescens has several advantages, including brightness, wide linear range, absence in most bacteria, stability at high temperature, and no substrate addition required for the assay. Here, a conjugation-mediated site-specific single-copy luciferase fusion system is developed. A reporter plasmid containing the conditional replication origin R6Kgγ, FRT-luxCDABE, and KmR marker was designed to be incorporated into the FRT site behind the promoter or gene of interest on the chromosome in cells expressing FLP. However, when this reporter plasmid was electroporated directly into such a S. enterica strain, no colonies appeared, likely due to the low transformation efficiency of this relatively large plasmid DNA. Meanwhile, the same reporter plasmid was successfully introduced and launched as an insert of an FRT-containing conjugative transfer plasmid from a mating E. coli strain to the same recipient S. enterica strain, as well as Citrobacter koseri. RcsB-dependent inducible luminescence from the constructed wzc-luxCDABE strains was confirmed. This system is feasible for detecting very low levels of transcription, even in Gram-negative bacterial species that are relatively difficult to genetically manipulate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akinori Kato
- Department of Advanced Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University
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30
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Raabe NJ, Valek AL, Griffith MP, Mills E, Waggle K, Srinivasa VR, Ayres AM, Bradford C, Creager HM, Pless LL, Sundermann AJ, Van Tyne D, Snyder GM, Harrison LH. Real-time genomic epidemiologic investigation of a multispecies plasmid-associated hospital outbreak of NDM-5-producing Enterobacterales infections. Int J Infect Dis 2024; 142:106971. [PMID: 38373647 PMCID: PMC11055495 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijid.2024.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) is an emergent mechanism of carbapenem resistance associated with high mortality and limited treatment options. Because the blaNDM resistance gene is often carried on plasmids, traditional infection prevention and control (IP&C) surveillance methods and reactive whole genome sequencing (WGS) may not detect plasmid transfer in multispecies outbreaks. METHODS Initial outbreak detection of NDM-producing Enterobacterales identified at an acute care hospital occurred via traditional IP&C methods and was supplemented by real-time WGS surveillance performed weekly. To resolve NDM-encoding plasmids, we performed long-read sequencing and constructed hybrid assemblies. WGS data for suspected outbreaks was shared with the IP&C team for assessment and intervention. RESULTS We observed a multispecies outbreak of NDM-5-producing Enterobacterales isolated from 15 patients between February 2021 and February 2023. The 19 clinical and surveillance isolates sequenced included 7 bacterial species encoding the same NDM-5 plasmid. WGS surveillance and epidemiologic investigation characterized 10 horizontal plasmid transfer events and 6 bacterial transmission events between patients in varying hospital units. CONCLUSIONS Our investigation revealed a complex, multispecies outbreak of NDM involving multiple plasmid transfer and bacterial transmission events. We highlight the utility of combining traditional IP&C and prospective genomic methods in identifying and containing plasmid-associated outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J Raabe
- Microbial Genomic Epidemiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Abby L Valek
- Department of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, UPMC Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Marissa P Griffith
- Microbial Genomic Epidemiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Emma Mills
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Kady Waggle
- Microbial Genomic Epidemiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Vatsala Rangachar Srinivasa
- Microbial Genomic Epidemiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Ashley M Ayres
- Department of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, UPMC Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Claire Bradford
- Department of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, UPMC Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Hannah M Creager
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lora L Pless
- Microbial Genomic Epidemiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Alexander J Sundermann
- Microbial Genomic Epidemiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daria Van Tyne
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Graham M Snyder
- Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, UPMC Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Lee H Harrison
- Microbial Genomic Epidemiology Laboratory, Center for Genomic Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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31
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Dmitrijeva M, Tackmann J, Matias Rodrigues JF, Huerta-Cepas J, Coelho LP, von Mering C. A global survey of prokaryotic genomes reveals the eco-evolutionary pressures driving horizontal gene transfer. Nat Ecol Evol 2024; 8:986-998. [PMID: 38443606 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02357-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer, the exchange of genetic material through means other than reproduction, is a fundamental force in prokaryotic genome evolution. Genomic persistence of horizontally transferred genes has been shown to be influenced by both ecological and evolutionary factors. However, there is limited availability of ecological information about species other than the habitats from which they were isolated, which has prevented a deeper exploration of ecological contributions to horizontal gene transfer. Here we focus on transfers detected through comparison of individual gene trees to the species tree, assessing the distribution of gene-exchanging prokaryotes across over a million environmental sequencing samples. By analysing detected horizontal gene transfer events, we show distinct functional profiles for recent versus old events. Although most genes transferred are part of the accessory genome, genes transferred earlier in evolution tend to be more ubiquitous within present-day species. We find that co-occurring, interacting and high-abundance species tend to exchange more genes. Finally, we show that host-associated specialist species are most likely to exchange genes with other host-associated specialist species, whereas species found across different habitats have similar gene exchange rates irrespective of their preferred habitat. Our study covers an unprecedented scale of integrated horizontal gene transfer and environmental information, highlighting broad eco-evolutionary trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Dmitrijeva
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, ETH Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Janko Tackmann
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Jaime Huerta-Cepas
- Centro de Biotecnología y Genómica de Plantas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM)-Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA-CSIC), Campus de Montegancedo-UPM, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Pedro Coelho
- Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
- Centre for Microbiome Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Christian von Mering
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zürich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Xu Z, Hu S, Zhao D, Xiong J, Li C, Ma Y, Li S, Huang B, Pan X. Molybdenum disulfide nanosheets promote the plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2024; 358:120827. [PMID: 38608575 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.120827] [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: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The environmental safety of nanoscale molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has attracted considerable attention, but its influence on the horizontal migration of antibiotic resistance genes and the ecological risks entailed have not been reported. This study addressed the influence of exposure to MoS2 at different concentrations up to 100 mg/L on the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes carried by RP4 plasmids with two strains of Escherichia coli. As a result, MoS2 facilitated RP4 plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer in a dose-dependent manner. The conjugation of RP4 plasmids was enhanced as much as 7-fold. The promoting effect is mainly attributable to increased membrane permeability, oxidative stress induced by reactive oxygen species, changes in extracellular polymer secretion and differential expression of the genes involved in horizontal gene transfer. The data highlight the distinct dose dependence of the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes and the need to improve awareness of the ecological and health risks of nanoscale transition metal dichalcogenides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhixiang Xu
- Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
| | - Siyuan Hu
- Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Dimeng Zhao
- Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Jinrui Xiong
- Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Caiqing Li
- Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Yitao Ma
- Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Siyuan Li
- Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Bin Huang
- Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China
| | - Xuejun Pan
- Faculty of Environmental Science & Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming 650500, China.
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33
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Ouzounis CA. The Net of Life, a short story: Intricate patterns of gene flows across hundreds of extant genomes, all the way to LUCA. Biosystems 2024; 239:105199. [PMID: 38641198 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2024.105199] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Over the past quarter-century, the field of evolutionary biology has been transformed by the emergence of complete genome sequences and the conceptual framework known as the 'Net of Life.' This paradigm shift challenges traditional notions of evolution as a tree-like process, emphasizing the complex, interconnected network of gene flow that may blur the boundaries between distinct lineages. In this context, gene loss, rather than horizontal gene transfer, is the primary driver of gene content, with vertical inheritance playing a principal role. The 'Net of Life' not only impacts our understanding of genome evolution but also has profound implications for classification systems, the rapid appearance of new traits, and the spread of diseases. Here, we explore the core tenets of the 'Net of Life' and its implications for genome-scale phylogenetic divergence, providing a comprehensive framework for further investigations in evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christos A Ouzounis
- Biological Computation & Computational Biology Group, Artificial Intelligence & Information Analysis Lab, School of Informatics, Faculty of Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessalonica, Thessalonica, Greece; Biological Computation & Process Laboratory, Chemical Process & Energy Resources Institute, Centre for Research & Technology Hellas, Thessalonica, Greece.
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34
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Sterzi L, Nodari R, Di Marco F, Ferrando ML, Saluzzo F, Spitaleri A, Allahverdi H, Papaleo S, Panelli S, Rimoldi SG, Batisti Biffignandi G, Corbella M, Cavallero A, Prati P, Farina C, Cirillo DM, Zuccotti G, Bandi C, Comandatore F. Genetic barriers more than environmental associations explain Serratia marcescens population structure. Commun Biol 2024; 7:468. [PMID: 38632370 PMCID: PMC11023947 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06069-w] [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: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Bacterial species often comprise well-separated lineages, likely emerged and maintained by genetic isolation and/or ecological divergence. How these two evolutionary actors interact in the shaping of bacterial population structure is currently not fully understood. In this study, we investigate the genetic and ecological drivers underlying the evolution of Serratia marcescens, an opportunistic pathogen with high genomic flexibility and able to colonise diverse environments. Comparative genomic analyses reveal a population structure composed of five deeply-demarcated genetic clusters with open pan-genome but limited inter-cluster gene flow, partially explained by Restriction-Modification (R-M) systems incompatibility. Furthermore, a large-scale research on hundred-thousands metagenomic datasets reveals only a partial habitat separation of the clusters. Globally, two clusters only show a separate gene composition coherent with ecological adaptations. These results suggest that genetic isolation has preceded ecological adaptations in the shaping of the species diversity, an evolutionary scenario coherent with the Evolutionary Extended Synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lodovico Sterzi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", Università Di Milano, 20157, Milan, Italy
| | - Riccardo Nodari
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", Università Di Milano, 20157, Milan, Italy
| | - Federico Di Marco
- Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Laura Ferrando
- Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Saluzzo
- Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Hamed Allahverdi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", Università Di Milano, 20157, Milan, Italy
| | - Stella Papaleo
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", Università Di Milano, 20157, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Panelli
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", Università Di Milano, 20157, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Giordana Rimoldi
- Laboratorio di Microbiologia Clinica, Virologia e Diagnostica delle Bioemergenze, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Marta Corbella
- Department of Microbiology & Virology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Viale Camillo Golgi 19, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Paola Prati
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Lombardia e dell'Emilia Romagna (IZSLER), Pavia, Italy
| | - Claudio Farina
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Virology, Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Daniela Maria Cirillo
- Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianvincenzo Zuccotti
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", Università Di Milano, 20157, Milan, Italy
- Department of Paediatrics, Children's Hospital "V. Buzzi", Milano, Italy
| | - Claudio Bandi
- Department of Biosciences and Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo Ed Enrica Invernizzi", University of Milan, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Comandatore
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Pediatric Clinical Research Center "Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi", Università Di Milano, 20157, Milan, Italy.
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35
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Shin J, Kim SR, Xie Z, Jin YS, Wang YC. A CRISPR/Cas12a-Based System for Sensitive Detection of Antimicrobial-Resistant Genes in Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacterales. BIOSENSORS 2024; 14:194. [PMID: 38667187 PMCID: PMC11048238 DOI: 10.3390/bios14040194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria pose a significant global health threat, and bacteria that produce New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM) are particularly concerning due to their resistance to most β-lactam antibiotics, including carbapenems. The emergence and spread of NDM-producing genes in food-producing animals highlight the need for a fast and accurate method for detecting AMR bacteria. We therefore propose a PCR-coupled CRISPR/Cas12a-based fluorescence assay that can detect NDM-producing genes (blaNDM) in bacteria. Thanks to its designed gRNA, this CRISPR/Cas12a system was able to simultaneously cleave PCR amplicons and ssDNA-FQ reporters, generating fluorescence signals. Our method was found to be highly specific when tested against other foodborne pathogens that do not carry blaNDM and also demonstrated an excellent capability to distinguish single-nucleotide polymorphism. In the case of blaNDM-1 carrying E. coli, the assay performed exceptionally well, with a detection limit of 2.7 × 100 CFU/mL: 100 times better than conventional PCR with gel electrophoresis. Moreover, the developed assay detected AMR bacteria in food samples and exhibited enhanced performance compared to previously published real-time PCR assays. Thus, this novel PCR-coupled CRISPR/Cas12a-based fluorescence assay has considerable potential to improve current approaches to AMR gene detection and thereby contribute to mitigating the global threat of AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiyong Shin
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Sei Rim Kim
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Zifan Xie
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yong-Su Jin
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Yi-Cheng Wang
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Center for Digital Agriculture, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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36
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Logares R. Decoding populations in the ocean microbiome. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:67. [PMID: 38561814 PMCID: PMC10983722 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01778-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the characteristics and structure of populations is fundamental to comprehending ecosystem processes and evolutionary adaptations. While the study of animal and plant populations has spanned a few centuries, microbial populations have been under scientific scrutiny for a considerably shorter period. In the ocean, analyzing the genetic composition of microbial populations and their adaptations to multiple niches can yield important insights into ecosystem function and the microbiome's response to global change. However, microbial populations have remained elusive to the scientific community due to the challenges associated with isolating microorganisms in the laboratory. Today, advancements in large-scale metagenomics and metatranscriptomics facilitate the investigation of populations from many uncultured microbial species directly from their habitats. The knowledge acquired thus far reveals substantial genetic diversity among various microbial species, showcasing distinct patterns of population differentiation and adaptations, and highlighting the significant role of selection in structuring populations. In the coming years, population genomics is expected to significantly increase our understanding of the architecture and functioning of the ocean microbiome, providing insights into its vulnerability or resilience in the face of ongoing global change. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramiro Logares
- Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM), CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, 08003, Spain.
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37
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Rigueira LL, Perecmanis S. Concerns about the use of antimicrobials in swine herds and alternative trends. Transl Anim Sci 2024; 8:txae039. [PMID: 38685989 PMCID: PMC11056889 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txae039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Pig productivity in Brazil has advanced a lot in recent decades. Specialized breeds are more vulnerable to pathogens, which has boosted the use of antimicrobials by farmers. The selective pressure generated favors the emergence of resistant bacteria, which compromises the effectiveness of this treatment and limits therapeutic options. In addition to increasing costs and mortality rates in the production system, public awareness of this issue has increased. The authorities have imposed restrictive measures to control the use of antimicrobials and have banned their use as growth promoters. This literature review highlights biosecurity and animal welfare to prevent pig diseases. Hence, we describe alternatives to the use of antimicrobials in pig production for the selection of effective non-antibiotic feed additives that help maintain good health and help the pig resist disease when infection occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana L Rigueira
- Department of Animal Health, Brasília University, 70910-900, Brasília, Brazil
- Secretary of Agriculture of Federal District, 70770-914, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Simone Perecmanis
- Department of Animal Health, Brasília University, 70910-900, Brasília, Brazil
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38
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Habig M, Grasse AV, Müller J, Stukenbrock EH, Leitner H, Cremer S. Frequent horizontal chromosome transfer between asexual fungal insect pathogens. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2316284121. [PMID: 38442176 PMCID: PMC10945790 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2316284121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Entire chromosomes are typically only transmitted vertically from one generation to the next. The horizontal transfer of such chromosomes has long been considered improbable, yet gained recent support in several pathogenic fungi where it may affect the fitness or host specificity. To date, it is unknown how these transfers occur, how common they are, and whether they can occur between different species. In this study, we show multiple independent instances of horizontal transfers of the same accessory chromosome between two distinct strains of the asexual entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium robertsii during experimental co-infection of its insect host, the Argentine ant. Notably, only the one chromosome-but no other-was transferred from the donor to the recipient strain. The recipient strain, now harboring the accessory chromosome, exhibited a competitive advantage under certain host conditions. By phylogenetic analysis, we further demonstrate that the same accessory chromosome was horizontally transferred in a natural environment between M. robertsii and another congeneric insect pathogen, Metarhizium guizhouense. Hence, horizontal chromosome transfer is not limited to the observed frequent events within species during experimental infections but also occurs naturally across species. The accessory chromosome that was transferred contains genes that may be involved in its preferential horizontal transfer or support its establishment. These genes encode putative histones and histone-modifying enzymes, as well as putative virulence factors. Our study reveals that both intra- and interspecies horizontal transfer of entire chromosomes is more frequent than previously assumed, likely representing a not uncommon mechanism for gene exchange.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Habig
- Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön24306, Germany
| | - Anna V. Grasse
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg3400, Austria
| | - Judith Müller
- Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön24306, Germany
| | - Eva H. Stukenbrock
- Environmental Genomics, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Kiel24118, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön24306, Germany
| | - Hanna Leitner
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg3400, Austria
| | - Sylvia Cremer
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), Klosterneuburg3400, Austria
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39
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Wang T, Xu Y, Ling W, Mosa A, Liu S, Lin Z, Wang H, Hu X. Dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes is regulated by iron oxides: Insight into the influence on bacterial transformation. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 185:108499. [PMID: 38368718 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108499] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The transportation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in manure-soil-plant continuums poses risks to human health. Horizontal gene transfer, particularly for bacterial transformation, is an important way for ARG dissemination. As crucial components in soils, iron oxides impacted the fates of various abiotic and biotic contaminants due to their active properties. However, whether they can influence the transformation of ARGs is unknown, which waits to be figured out to boost the assessment and control of ARG spread risks. In this study, we have investigated the effects of goethite, hematite, and magnetite (0-250 mg/L, with sizes < 100 nm and > 100 nm) on the transfer of ampicillin resistance genes to Escherichia coli cells. At lower iron oxide concentrations, the transformation of ARGs was first facilitated (transformation frequency reached up to 3.38-fold higher), but the facilitating effects gradually weakened and eventually disappeared as concentrations further increased. Particle size and iron oxide type were not the universal determinants controlling the transformation. At lower concentrations, iron oxides interacted with proteins and phospholipids in E. coli envelope structures, and induced the overgeneration of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Consequently, they led to pore formation and permeability enhancement on the cell membrane, thus promoting the transformation. The facilitation was also associated with the carrier-like effect of iron oxides for antibiotic resistance plasmids. At higher concentrations, the weakened facilitations were attributed to the aggregation of iron oxides. In this study, we highlight the crucial roles of the concentrations (contents) of iron oxides on the dissemination of ARGs in soils; this study may serve as a reference for ARG pollution control in future agricultural production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wang
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
| | - Yanxing Xu
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
| | - Wanting Ling
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
| | - Ahmed Mosa
- Soils Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, 35516 Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Si Liu
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
| | - Zhipeng Lin
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
| | - Hefei Wang
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China
| | - Xiaojie Hu
- Institute of Organic Contaminant Control and Soil Remediation, College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, PR China.
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Fraikin N, Van Melderen L. Single-cell evidence for plasmid addiction mediated by toxin-antitoxin systems. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:1847-1859. [PMID: 38224456 PMCID: PMC10899753 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are small selfish genetic modules that increase vertical stability of their replicons. They have long been thought to stabilize plasmids by killing cells that fail to inherit a plasmid copy through a phenomenon called post-segregational killing (PSK) or addiction. While this model has been widely accepted, no direct observation of PSK was reported in the literature. Here, we devised a system that enables visualization of plasmid loss and PSK at the single-cell level using meganuclease-driven plasmid curing. Using the ccd system, we show that cells deprived of a ccd-encoding plasmid show hallmarks of DNA damage, i.e. filamentation and induction of the SOS response. Activation of ccd triggered cell death in most plasmid-free segregants, although some intoxicated cells were able to resume growth, showing that PSK-induced damage can be repaired in a SOS-dependent manner. Damage induced by ccd activates resident lambdoid prophages, which potentiate the killing effect of ccd. The loss of a model plasmid containing TA systems encoding toxins presenting various molecular mechanisms induced different morphological changes, growth arrest and loss of viability. Our experimental setup enables further studies of TA-induced phenotypes and suggests that PSK is a general mechanism for plasmid stabilization by TA systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Fraikin
- Bacterial Genetics and Physiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
| | - Laurence Van Melderen
- Bacterial Genetics and Physiology, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculté des Sciences, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 6041 Gosselies, Belgium
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Sobkowiak A, Scherff N, Schuler F, Bletz S, Mellmann A, Schwierzeck V, van Almsick V. Plasmid-encoded gene duplications of extended-spectrum β-lactamases in clinical bacterial isolates. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1343858. [PMID: 38469349 PMCID: PMC10925753 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1343858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The emergence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae is an urgent and alarming One Health problem. This study aimed to investigate duplications of plasmid-encoded ESBL genes and their impact on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotypes in clinical and screening isolates. Methods Multi-drug-resistant bacteria from hospitalized patients were collected during routine clinical surveillance from January 2022 to June 2023, and their antimicrobial susceptibility patterns were determined. Genotypes were extracted from long-read whole-genome sequencing data. Furthermore, plasmids and other mobile genetic elements associated with ESBL genes were characterized, and the ESBL genes were correlated to ceftazidime minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). Results In total, we identified four cases of plasmid-encoded ESBL gene duplications that match four genetically similar plasmids during the 18-month surveillance period: five Escherichia coli and three Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. As the ESBL genes were part of transposable elements, the surrounding sequence regions were duplicated as well. In-depth analysis revealed insertion sequence (IS)-mediated transposition mechanisms. Isolates with duplicated ESBL genes exhibited a higher MIC for ceftazidime in comparison to isolates with a single gene copy (3-256 vs. 1.5-32 mg/L, respectively). Conclusion ESBL gene duplications led to an increased phenotypic resistance against ceftazidime. Our data suggest that ESBL gene duplications by an IS-mediated transposition are a relevant mechanism for how AMR develops in the clinical setting and is part of the microevolution of plasmids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Sobkowiak
- Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Cardiology I – Coronary and Peripheral Vascular Disease, Heart Failure, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Natalie Scherff
- Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Franziska Schuler
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Stefan Bletz
- Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Vera Schwierzeck
- Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Vincent van Almsick
- Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Cardiology I – Coronary and Peripheral Vascular Disease, Heart Failure, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
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Charubin K, Hill JD, Papoutsakis ET. DNA transfer between two different species mediated by heterologous cell fusion in Clostridium coculture. mBio 2024; 15:e0313323. [PMID: 38214507 PMCID: PMC10865971 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03133-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Prokaryotic evolution is driven by random mutations and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). HGT occurs via transformation, transduction, or conjugation. We have previously shown that in syntrophic cocultures of Clostridium acetobutylicum and Clostridium ljungdahlii, heterologous cell fusion leads to a large-scale exchange of proteins and RNA between the two organisms. Here, we present evidence that heterologous cell fusion facilitates the exchange of DNA between the two organisms. Using selective subculturing, we isolated C. acetobutylicum cells which acquired and integrated into their genome portions of plasmid DNA from a plasmid-carrying C. ljungdahlii strain. Limiting-dilution plating and DNA methylation data based on PacBio Single-Molecule Real Time (SMRT) sequencing support the existence of hybrid C. acetobutylicum/C. ljungdahlii cells. These findings expand our understanding of multi-species microbiomes, their survival strategies, and evolution.IMPORTANCEInvestigations of natural multispecies microbiomes and synthetic microbial cocultures are attracting renewed interest for their potential application in biotechnology, ecology, and medical fields. Previously, we have shown the syntrophic coculture of C. acetobutylicum and C. ljungdahlii undergoes heterologous cell-to-cell fusion, which facilitates the exchange of cytoplasmic protein and RNA between the two organisms. We now show that heterologous cell fusion between the two Clostridium organisms can facilitate the exchange of DNA. By applying selective pressures to this coculture system, we isolated clones of wild-type C. acetobutylicum which acquired the erythromycin resistance (erm) gene from the C. ljungdahlii strain carrying a plasmid with the erm gene. Single-molecule real-time sequencing revealed that the erm gene was integrated into the genome in a mosaic fashion. Our data also support the persistence of hybrid C. acetobutylicum/C. ljungdahlii cells displaying hybrid DNA-methylation patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamil Charubin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - John D. Hill
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
| | - Eleftherios Terry Papoutsakis
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, The Delaware Biotechnology Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware, USA
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Song J, Zheng C, Qiu M, Zhan XP, Zhang Z, Zhang H, Shi N, Zhang L, Yu Y, Nicolaisen M, Xu L, Fang H. Mechanisms Underlying the Overlooked Chiral Fungicide-Driven Enantioselective Proliferation of Antibiotic Resistance in Earthworm Intestinal Microbiome. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 58:2931-2943. [PMID: 38306257 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c07761] [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: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
From a "One Health" perspective, the global threat of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is associated with modern agriculture practices including agrochemicals application. Chiral fungicides account for a considerable proportion of wildly used agrochemicals; however, whether and how their enantiomers lead to differential proliferation of antibiotic resistance in agricultural environments remain overlooked. Focused on the soil-earthworm ecosystem, we for the first time deciphered the mechanisms underlying the enantioselective proliferation of antibiotic resistance driven by the enantiomers of a typical chiral fungicide mandipropamid (i.e., R-MDP and S-MDP) utilizing a multiomic approach. Time-series metagenomic analysis revealed that R-MDP led to a significant enhancement of ARGs with potential mobility (particularly the plasmid-borne ARGs) in the earthworm intestinal microbiome. We further demonstrated that R-MDP induced a concentration-dependent facilitation of plasmid-mediated ARG transfer among microbes. In addition, transcriptomic analysis with verification identified the key aspects involved, where R-MDP enhanced cell membrane permeability, transfer ability, biofilm formation and quorum sensing, rebalanced energy production, and decreased cell mobility versus S-MDP. Overall, the findings provide novel insights into the enantioselective disruption of microbiome and resistome in earthworm gut by chiral fungicides and offer significant contributions to the comprehensive risk assessment of chiral agrochemicals in agroecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajin Song
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Conglai Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mengting Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xiu-Ping Zhan
- Shanghai Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Center, Shanghai 201103, China
| | - Zihan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Houpu Zhang
- College of Resources and Environment, Anhui Agricultural University, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Hazardous Factors and Risk Control of Agri-food Quality Safety, Hefei 230036, China
| | - Nan Shi
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California 92697, United States
| | - Luqing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yunlong Yu
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Mogens Nicolaisen
- Department of Agroecology, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Slagelse 4200, Denmark
| | - Lihui Xu
- Institute of Eco-Environmental Protection, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, China
| | - Hua Fang
- Key Laboratory of Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insects of Zhejiang Province, Ministry of Agriculture Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Crop Pathogens and Insect Pests, Institute of Pesticide and Environmental Toxicology, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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Behling AH, Wilson BC, Ho D, Cutfield WS, Vatanen T, O'Sullivan JM. Horizontal gene transfer after faecal microbiota transplantation in adolescents with obesity. MICROBIOME 2024; 12:26. [PMID: 38347627 PMCID: PMC10860221 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01748-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) describes the transmission of DNA outside of direct ancestral lineages. The process is best characterised within the bacterial kingdom and can enable the acquisition of genetic traits that support bacterial adaptation to novel niches. The adaptation of bacteria to novel niches has particular relevance for faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), a therapeutic procedure which aims to resolve gut-related health conditions of individuals, through transplanted gut microbiota from healthy donors. RESULTS Three hundred eighty-one stool metagenomic samples from a placebo-controlled FMT trial for obese adolescents (the Gut Bugs Trial) were analysed for HGT, using two complementary methodologies. First, all putative HGT events, including historical HGT signatures, were quantified using the bioinformatics application WAAFLE. Second, metagenomic assembly and gene clustering were used to assess and quantify donor-specific genes transferred to recipients following the intervention. Both methodologies found no difference between the level of putative HGT events in the gut microbiomes of FMT and placebo recipients, post-intervention. HGT events facilitated by engrafted donor species in the FMT recipient gut at 6 weeks post-intervention were identified and characterised. Bacterial strains contributing to this subset of HGT events predominantly belonged to the phylum Bacteroidetes. Engraftment-dependent horizontally transferred genes were retained within recipient microbiomes at 12 and 26 weeks post-intervention. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that novel microorganisms introduced into the recipient gut following FMT have no impact on the basal rate of HGT within the human gut microbiome. Analyses of further FMT studies are required to assess the generalisability of this conclusion across different FMT study designs and for the treatment of different gut-related conditions. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna H Behling
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Brooke C Wilson
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Daniel Ho
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Wayne S Cutfield
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tommi Vatanen
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Justin M O'Sullivan
- Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
- The Maurice Wilkins Centre, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand.
- Australian Parkinsons Mission, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria Street, SydneyDarlinghurst, NSWNSW, 2010, Australia.
- MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO16 6YD, UK.
- Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, Agency for Science Technology and Research, Singapore, Singapore.
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Mowday AM, van de Laak JM, Fu Z, Henare KL, Dubois L, Lambin P, Theys J, Patterson AV. Tumor-targeting bacteria as immune stimulants - the future of cancer immunotherapy? Crit Rev Microbiol 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38346140 DOI: 10.1080/1040841x.2024.2311653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapies have been widely hailed as a breakthrough for cancer treatment in the last decade, epitomized by the unprecedented results observed with checkpoint blockade. Even so, only a minority of patients currently achieve durable remissions. In general, responsive patients appear to have either a high number of tumor neoantigens, a preexisting immune cell infiltrate in the tumor microenvironment, or an 'immune-active' transcriptional profile, determined in part by the presence of a type I interferon gene signature. These observations suggest that the therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapy can be enhanced through strategies that release tumor neoantigens and/or produce a pro-inflammatory tumor microenvironment. In principle, exogenous tumor-targeting bacteria offer a unique solution for improving responsiveness to immunotherapy. This review discusses how tumor-selective bacterial infection can modulate the immunological microenvironment of the tumor and the potential for combination with cancer immunotherapy strategies to further increase therapeutic efficacy. In addition, we provide a perspective on the clinical translation of replicating bacterial therapies, with a focus on the challenges that must be resolved to ensure a successful outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M Mowday
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jella M van de Laak
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Zhe Fu
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Kimiora L Henare
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ludwig Dubois
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Philippe Lambin
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Theys
- The M-Lab, Department of Precision Medicine, GROW-Research School of Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Adam V Patterson
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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López Sánchez A, Lafond M. Predicting horizontal gene transfers with perfect transfer networks. Algorithms Mol Biol 2024; 19:6. [PMID: 38321476 PMCID: PMC10848447 DOI: 10.1186/s13015-023-00242-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Horizontal gene transfer inference approaches are usually based on gene sequences: parametric methods search for patterns that deviate from a particular genomic signature, while phylogenetic methods use sequences to reconstruct the gene and species trees. However, it is well-known that sequences have difficulty identifying ancient transfers since mutations have enough time to erase all evidence of such events. In this work, we ask whether character-based methods can predict gene transfers. Their advantage over sequences is that homologous genes can have low DNA similarity, but still have retained enough important common motifs that allow them to have common character traits, for instance the same functional or expression profile. A phylogeny that has two separate clades that acquired the same character independently might indicate the presence of a transfer even in the absence of sequence similarity. OUR CONTRIBUTIONS We introduce perfect transfer networks, which are phylogenetic networks that can explain the character diversity of a set of taxa under the assumption that characters have unique births, and that once a character is gained it is rarely lost. Examples of such traits include transposable elements, biochemical markers and emergence of organelles, just to name a few. We study the differences between our model and two similar models: perfect phylogenetic networks and ancestral recombination networks. Our goals are to initiate a study on the structural and algorithmic properties of perfect transfer networks. We then show that in polynomial time, one can decide whether a given network is a valid explanation for a set of taxa, and show how, for a given tree, one can add transfer edges to it so that it explains a set of taxa. We finally provide lower and upper bounds on the number of transfers required to explain a set of taxa, in the worst case.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manuel Lafond
- Department of Computer Science, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
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Liu Z, Good BH. Dynamics of bacterial recombination in the human gut microbiome. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002472. [PMID: 38329938 PMCID: PMC10852326 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a ubiquitous force in microbial evolution. Previous work has shown that the human gut is a hotspot for gene transfer between species, but the more subtle exchange of variation within species-also known as recombination-remains poorly characterized in this ecosystem. Here, we show that the genetic structure of the human gut microbiome provides an opportunity to measure recent recombination events from sequenced fecal samples, enabling quantitative comparisons across diverse commensal species that inhabit a common environment. By analyzing recent recombination events in the core genomes of 29 human gut bacteria, we observed widespread heterogeneities in the rates and lengths of transferred fragments, which are difficult to explain by existing models of ecological isolation or homology-dependent recombination rates. We also show that natural selection helps facilitate the spread of genetic variants across strain backgrounds, both within individual hosts and across the broader population. These results shed light on the dynamics of in situ recombination, which can strongly constrain the adaptability of gut microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiru Liu
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Benjamin H. Good
- Department of Applied Physics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, California, United States of America
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub–San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Yu Z, Wang Q, Pinilla-Redondo R, Madsen JS, Clasen KAD, Ananbeh H, Olesen AK, Gong Z, Yang N, Dechesne A, Smets B, Nesme J, Sørensen SJ. Horizontal transmission of a multidrug-resistant IncN plasmid isolated from urban wastewater. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 271:115971. [PMID: 38237397 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.115971] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Given that plasmid-mediated horizontal gene transfer plays a critical role in disseminating ARGs in the environment, it is important to inspect the transfer potential of transmissible plasmids to have a better understanding of whether these mobile ARGs can be hosted by opportunistic pathogens and should be included in One Health's considerations. In this study, we used a fluorescent-reporter-gene based exogenous isolation approach to capture extended-spectrum beta-lactamases encoding mobile determinants from sewer microbiome samples that enter an urban water system (UWS) in Denmark. After screening and sequencing, we isolated a ∼73 Kbp IncN plasmid (pDK_DARWIN) that harboured and expressed multiple ARGs. Using a dual fluorescent reporter gene system, we showed that this plasmid can transfer into resident urban water communities. We demonstrated the transfer of pDK_DARWIN to microbiome members of both the sewer (in the upstream UWS compartment) and wastewater treatment (in the downstream UWS compartment) microbiomes. Sequence similarity search across curated plasmid repositories revealed that pDK_DARWIN derives from an IncN backbone harboured by environmental and nosocomial Enterobacterial isolates. Furthermore, we searched for pDK_DARWIN sequence matches in UWS metagenomes from three countries, revealing that this plasmid can be detected in all of them, with a higher relative abundance in hospital sewers compared to residential sewers. Overall, this study demonstrates that this IncN plasmid is prevalent across Europe and an efficient vector capable of disseminating multiple ARGs in the urban water systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuofeng Yu
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Qinqin Wang
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rafael Pinilla-Redondo
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas Stenløkke Madsen
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kamille Anna Dam Clasen
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hanadi Ananbeh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Asmus Kalckar Olesen
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Zhuang Gong
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nan Yang
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Arnaud Dechesne
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, DK-2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Barth Smets
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, DK-2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Joseph Nesme
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Søren Johannes Sørensen
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Chen Y, Yan Z, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Jiang R, Wang M, Yuan S, Lu G. Dynamic evolution of antibiotic resistance genes in plastisphere in the vertical profile of urban rivers. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 249:120946. [PMID: 38043355 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120946] [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: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) can vertically transport in the aquatic environment due to their aging and biofouling, forming distinct plastisphere in different water layers. However, even though MPs have been regarded as hotspots for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), little is known about the propagation and transfer of ARGs in plastisphere in waters, especially in the vertical profile. Therefore, this study investigated the dynamic responses and evolution of ARGs in different plastisphere distributed vertically in an urbanized river. The biofilm biomass in the polylactic acid (PLA) plastisphere was relatively higher than that in the polyethylene terephthalate (PET), showing depth-decay variations. The ARGs abundance in plastisphere were much higher than that in the surrounding waters, especially for the PLA. In the vertical profiles, the ARGs abundance in the PET plastisphere increased with water depths, while the highest abundance of ARGs in the PLA mostly appeared at intermediate waters. In the temporal dynamic, the ARGs abundance in plastisphere increased and then decreased, which may be dominated by the MP types at the initial periods. After long-term exposure, the influences of water depths seemed to be strengthened, especially in the PET plastisphere. Compared with surface waters, the microbiota attached in plastisphere in deep waters showed high species richness, strong diversity, and complex interactions, which was basically consistent with the changes of nutrient contents in different water layers. These vertical variations in microbiota and nutrients (e.g., nitrogen) may be responsible for the propagation of ARGs in plastisphere in deep waters. The host bacteria for ARGs in plastisphere was also developed as water depth increased, leading to an enrichment of ARGs in deep waters. In addition, the abundance of ARGs in plastisphere in bottom waters was positively correlated with the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) of intI1 and tnpA05, indicative of a frequent horizontal gene transfer of ARGs. Overall, water depth played a critical role in the propagation of ARGs in plastisphere, which should not be ignored in a long time series. This study provides new insights into the dynamic evolution of ARGs propagation in plastisphere under increasing global MPs pollution, especially in the vertical profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yufang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Zhenhua Yan
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China.
| | - Yixin Zhou
- College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Runren Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Min Wang
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Saiyu Yuan
- The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
| | - Guanghua Lu
- Key Laboratory of Integrated Regulation and Resource Development on Shallow Lakes of Ministry of Education, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China; College of Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China
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Sabino YNV, de Melo MD, da Silva GC, Mantovani HC. Unraveling the diversity and dissemination dynamics of antimicrobial resistance genes in Enterobacteriaceae plasmids across diverse ecosystems. J Appl Microbiol 2024; 135:lxae028. [PMID: 38323496 DOI: 10.1093/jambio/lxae028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
AIM The objective of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in plasmids of Enterobacteriaceae from soil, sewage, and feces of food-producing animals and humans. METHODS AND RESULTS The plasmid sequences were obtained from the NCBI database. For the identification of ARG, comprehensive antibiotic resistance database (CARD), and ResFinder were used. Gene conservation and evolution were investigated using DnaSP v.6. The transfer potential of the plasmids was evaluated using oriTfinder and a MOB-based phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using Fastree. We identified a total of 1064 ARGs in all plasmids analyzed, conferring resistance to 15 groups of antibiotics, mostly aminoglycosides, beta-lactams, and sulfonamides. The greatest number of ARGs per plasmid was found in enterobacteria from chicken feces. Plasmids from Escherichia coli carrying multiple ARGs were found in all ecosystems. Some of the most abundant genes were shared among all ecosystems, including aph(6)-Id, aph(3'')-Ib, tet(A), and sul2. A high level of sequence conservation was found among these genes, and tet(A) and sul2 are under positive selective pressure. Approximately 62% of the plasmids carrying at least one ARG were potentially transferable. Phylogenetic analysis indicated a potential co-evolution of Enterobacteriaceae plasmids in nature. CONCLUSION The high abundance of Enterobacteriaceae plasmids from diverse ecosystems carrying ARGs reveals their widespread distribution and importance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mariana Dias de Melo
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Giarlã Cunha da Silva
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Hilario Cuquetto Mantovani
- Department of Microbiology, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 53706, Madison, WI, USA
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