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Wang B, Farhan MHR, Yuan L, Sui Y, Chu J, Yang X, Li Y, Huang L, Cheng G. Transfer dynamics of antimicrobial resistance among gram-negative bacteria. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 954:176347. [PMID: 39306135 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2024] [Revised: 09/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/15/2024] [Indexed: 09/26/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in gram-negative bacteria (GNBs) is a significant global health concern, exacerbated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). This review examines the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) within and between different species of GNB facilitated by MGEs, focusing on the roles of plasmids and phages. The impact of non-antibiotic chemicals, environmental factors affecting ARG transfer frequency, and underlying molecular mechanisms of bacterial resistance evolution are also discussed. Additionally, the study critically assesses the impact of fitness costs and compensatory evolution driven by MGEs in host organisms, shedding light on the transfer frequency of ARGs and host evolution within ecosystems. Overall, this comprehensive review highlights the factors and mechanisms influencing ARG movement among diverse GNB species and underscores the importance of implementing holistic One-Health strategies to effectively address the escalating public health challenges associated with AMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bangjuan Wang
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; MOA Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Muhammad Haris Raza Farhan
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; MOA Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Linlin Yuan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuxin Sui
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; MOA Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jinhua Chu
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; MOA Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaohan Yang
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; MOA Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuxin Li
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; MOA Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Lingli Huang
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; MOA Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Guyue Cheng
- National Reference Laboratory of Veterinary Drug Residues (HZAU) and MAO Key Laboratory for Detection of Veterinary Drug Residues, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; MOA Laboratory for Risk Assessment of Quality and Safety of Livestock and Poultry Products, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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2
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Urquhart A, Vogan AA, Gluck-Thaler E. Starships: a new frontier for fungal biology. Trends Genet 2024:S0168-9525(24)00183-5. [PMID: 39299886 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2024.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2024] [Revised: 08/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/22/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are semiautonomous genetic entities that proliferate in genomes. We recently discovered the Starships, a previously hidden superfamily of giant TEs found in a diverse subphylum of filamentous fungi, the Pezizomycotina. Starships are unlike other eukaryotic TEs because they have evolved mechanisms for both mobilizing entire genes, including those encoding conditionally beneficial phenotypes, and for horizontally transferring between individuals. We argue that Starships have unrivaled capacity to engage their fungal hosts as genetic parasites and mutualists, revealing unexplored terrain for investigating the ecoevolutionary dynamics of TE-eukaryote interactions. We build on existing models of fungal genome evolution by conceptualizing Starships as a distinct genomic compartment whose dynamics profoundly shape fungal biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Urquhart
- Systematic Biology, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 752 36, Sweden
| | - Aaron A Vogan
- Systematic Biology, Department of Organismal Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, 752 36, Sweden
| | - Emile Gluck-Thaler
- Department of Plant Pathology, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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3
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Wang Q, Wang W, Zhu Q, Shoaib M, Chengye W, Zhu Z, Wei X, Bai Y, Zhang J. The prevalent dynamic and genetic characterization of mcr-1 encoding multidrug resistant Escherichia coli strains recovered from poultry in Hebei, China. J Glob Antimicrob Resist 2024; 38:354-362. [PMID: 38795771 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgar.2024.04.001] [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] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Colistin is known as the last resort antibiotic to treat the infections caused by multidrug resistant foodborne pathogens. The emergence and widespread dissemination of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in the Escherichia coli (E. coli) incurs potential threat to public health. Here, we investigated the epidemiology, transmission dynamics, and genetic characterization of mcr-1 harbouring E. coli isolates from poultry originated in Hebei Province, China. METHODS A total of 297 faecal samples were collected from the two large poultry farms in Hebei Province, China. The samples were processed for E. coli identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry and 16S rDNA sequencing. Then, the mcr-1 gene harbouring E. coli strains were identified by polymerase chain reaction and subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility testing by broth microdilution assay. The genomic characterization of the isolates was done by whole genome sequencing using the various bioinformatics tools, and multi-locus sequence typing was done by sequence analysis of the seven housekeeping genes. The conjugation experiment was done to check the transferability of mcr-1 along with the plasmid stability testing. RESULTS A total of six mcr-1 E. coli isolates with minimum inhibitory concentration of 4 μg/mL were identified from 297 samples (2.02%). The mcr-1 harbouring E. coli were identified as multidrug resistant and belonged to ST101 (n = 4) and ST410 (n = 2). The genetic environment of mcr-1 presented its position on IncHI2 plasmid in 4 isolates and p0111 in 2 isolates, which is a rarely reported plasmid type for mcr-1. Moreover, both type of plasmids was transferable to recipient J53, and mcr-1 was flanked by 3 mobile elements ISApl1, Tn3, and IS26 forming a novel backbone Tn3-IS26-mcr-1- pap2-ISApl1 on the p0111 plasmid. The phylogenetic analysis shared a common lineage with mcr-1 harbouring isolates from the environment, humans, and animals, which indicate its horizontal spread among the diverse sources, species, and hosts. CONCLUSION This study recommends the one health approach for future surveillance across multiple sources and bacterial species to adopt relevant measures and reduce global resistance crises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Anning District, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China
| | - Weiwei Wang
- Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China
| | - Qiqi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, Hebei Province, PR China
| | - Muhammad Shoaib
- Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China
| | - Wang Chengye
- Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, Hebei Province, PR China
| | - Zhen Zhu
- Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; College of Life Science and Food Engineering, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, Hebei Province, PR China
| | - Xiaojuan Wei
- Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China
| | - Yubin Bai
- Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China
| | - Jiyu Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Anning District, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of New Animal Drug Project of Gansu Province, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutical Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China; Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, PR China.
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Sastre-Dominguez J, DelaFuente J, Toribio-Celestino L, Herencias C, Herrador-Gómez P, Costas C, Hernández-García M, Cantón R, Rodríguez-Beltrán J, Santos-Lopez A, San Millan A. Plasmid-encoded insertion sequences promote rapid adaptation in clinical enterobacteria. Nat Ecol Evol 2024:10.1038/s41559-024-02523-4. [PMID: 39198572 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-024-02523-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024]
Abstract
Plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements commonly found in bacteria. They are known to fuel bacterial evolution through horizontal gene transfer, and recent analyses indicate that they can also promote intragenomic adaptations. However, the role of plasmids as catalysts of bacterial evolution beyond horizontal gene transfer is poorly explored. In this study, we investigated the impact of a widespread conjugative plasmid, pOXA-48, on the evolution of several multidrug-resistant clinical enterobacteria. Combining experimental and within-patient evolution analyses, we unveiled that plasmid pOXA-48 promotes bacterial evolution through the transposition of plasmid-encoded insertion sequence 1 (IS1) elements. Specifically, IS1-mediated gene inactivation expedites the adaptation rate of clinical strains in vitro and fosters within-patient adaptation in the gut microbiota. We deciphered the mechanism underlying the plasmid-mediated surge in IS1 transposition, revealing a negative feedback loop regulated by the genomic copy number of IS1. Given the overrepresentation of IS elements in bacterial plasmids, our findings suggest that plasmid-mediated IS1 transposition represents a crucial mechanism for swift bacterial adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Cristina Herencias
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Coloma Costas
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Hernández-García
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Cantón
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jerónimo Rodríguez-Beltrán
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal-Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Santos-Lopez
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Alvaro San Millan
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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5
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Liu Z, Zhao Q, Xu C, Song H. Compensatory evolution of chromosomes and plasmids counteracts the plasmid fitness cost. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70121. [PMID: 39170056 PMCID: PMC11336059 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmids incur a fitness cost that has the potential to restrict the dissemination of resistance in bacterial pathogens. However, bacteria can overcome this disadvantage by compensatory evolution to maintain their resistance. Compensatory evolution can occur via both chromosomes and plasmids, but there are a few reviews regarding this topic, and most of them focus on plasmids. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the currently reported mechanisms underlying compensatory evolution on chromosomes and plasmids, elucidate key targets regulating plasmid fitness cost, and discuss future challenges in this field. We found that compensatory evolution on chromosomes primarily arises from mutations in transcriptional regulatory factors, whereas compensatory evolution of plasmids predominantly involves three pathways: plasmid copy number regulation, conjugation transfer efficiency, and expression of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. Furthermore, the importance of reasonable selection of research subjects and effective integration of diverse advanced research methods is also emphasized in our future study on compensatory mechanisms. Overall, this review establishes a theoretical framework that aims to provide innovative ideas for minimizing the emergence and spread of AMR genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green‐Eco‐Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection & Internet Technology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Veterinary Medicine and Health Management, China‐Australia Joint Laboratory for Animal Health Big Data AnalyticsCollege of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine of Zhejiang A&F UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Qiuyun Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green‐Eco‐Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection & Internet Technology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Veterinary Medicine and Health Management, China‐Australia Joint Laboratory for Animal Health Big Data AnalyticsCollege of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine of Zhejiang A&F UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Chenggang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green‐Eco‐Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection & Internet Technology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Veterinary Medicine and Health Management, China‐Australia Joint Laboratory for Animal Health Big Data AnalyticsCollege of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine of Zhejiang A&F UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Houhui Song
- Key Laboratory of Applied Technology on Green‐Eco‐Healthy Animal Husbandry of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial Engineering Laboratory for Animal Health Inspection & Internet Technology, Zhejiang International Science and Technology Cooperation Base for Veterinary Medicine and Health Management, China‐Australia Joint Laboratory for Animal Health Big Data AnalyticsCollege of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary Medicine of Zhejiang A&F UniversityHangzhouChina
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6
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Kumar S, Lezia A, Hasty J. Engineering plasmid copy number heterogeneity for dynamic microbial adaptation. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:2173-2184. [PMID: 38890490 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-024-01706-w] [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: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Natural microbial populations exploit phenotypic heterogeneity for survival and adaptation. However, in engineering biology, limiting the sources of variability is a major focus. Here we show that intentionally coupling distinct plasmids via shared replication mechanisms enables bacterial populations to adapt to their environment. We demonstrate that plasmid coupling of carbon-metabolizing operons facilitates copy number tuning of an essential but burdensome construct through the action of a stably maintained, non-essential plasmid. For specific cost-benefit situations, incompatible two-plasmid systems can stably persist longer than compatible ones. We also show using microfluidics that plasmid coupling of synthetic constructs generates population-state memory of previous environmental adaptation without additional regulatory control. This work should help to improve the design of synthetic populations by enabling adaptive engineered strains to function under changing growth conditions without strict fine-tuning of the genetic circuitry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shalni Kumar
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Andrew Lezia
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jeff Hasty
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Section, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Synthetic Biology Institute, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
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7
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Bustamante M, Koopman F, Martens J, Brons JK, DelaFuente J, Hackl T, Kuipers OP, van Doorn GS, de Vos MGJ. Community context influences the conjugation efficiency of Escherichia coli. FEMS MICROBES 2024; 5:xtae023. [PMID: 39170752 PMCID: PMC11338288 DOI: 10.1093/femsmc/xtae023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 07/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In urinary tract infections (UTIs), different bacteria can live in a polymicrobial community consisting of different species. It is unknown how community members affect the conjugation efficiency of uropathogenic Escherichia coli. We investigated the influence of individual species often coisolated from urinary infections (UTI) on the conjugation efficiency of E. coli isolates in artificial urine medium. Pairwise conjugation rate experiments were conducted between a donor E. coli strain containing the pOXA-48 plasmid and six uropathogenic E. coli isolates, in the presence and absence of five different species commonly coisolated in polymicrobial UTIs to elucidate their effect on the conjugation efficiency of E. coli. We found that the basal conjugation rates of pOXA-48, in the absence of other species, are dependent on the bacterial host genetic background. Additionally, we found that bacterial interactions have an overall positive effect on the conjugation rate of pOXA-48. Particularly, Gram-positive enterococcal species were found to enhance the conjugation rates towards uropathogenic E. coli isolates. We hypothesize that the nature of the coculture and physical interactions are important for these increased conjugation rates in an artificial urine medium environment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Floor Koopman
- GELIFES, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jesper Martens
- GELIFES, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jolanda K Brons
- GELIFES, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Thomas Hackl
- GELIFES, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Oscar P Kuipers
- GBB, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | | | - Marjon G J de Vos
- GELIFES, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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8
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Fox V, Mangioni D, Renica S, Comelli A, Teri A, Zatelli M, Orena BS, Scuderi C, Cavallero A, Rossi M, Casana M, Mela L, Bielli A, Scutari R, Morelli P, Cariani L, Casari E, Vismara CS, Matinato C, Callegaro A, Bottazzi B, Cassani B, Perno CF, Gori A, Muscatello A, Bandera A, Alteri C. Genomic characterization of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) strains circulating in three university hospitals in Northern Italy over three years. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control 2024; 13:70. [PMID: 38961463 PMCID: PMC11223429 DOI: 10.1186/s13756-024-01429-x] [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: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Genomic surveillance of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) is crucial for virulence, drug-resistance monitoring, and outbreak containment. METHODS Genomic analysis on 87 KPC-Kp strains isolated from 3 Northern Italy hospitals in 2019-2021 was performed by whole genome sequencing (WGS), to characterize resistome, virulome, and mobilome, and to assess potential associations with phenotype resistance and clinical presentation. Maximum Likelihood and Minimum Spanning Trees were used to determine strain correlations and identify potential transmission clusters. RESULTS Overall, 15 different STs were found; the predominant ones included ST307 (35, 40.2%), ST512/1519 (15, 17.2%), ST20 (12, 13.8%), and ST101 (7, 8.1%). 33 (37.9%) KPC-Kp strains were noticed to be in five transmission clusters (median number of isolates in each cluster: 5 [3-10]), four of them characterized by intra-hospital transmission. All 87 strains harbored Tn4401a transposon, carrying blaKPC-3 (48, 55.2%), blaKPC-2 (38, 43.7%), and in one case (1.2%) blaKPC-33, the latter gene conferred resistance to ceftazidime/avibactam (CZA). Thirty strains (34.5%) harbored porin mutations; of them, 7 (8.1%) carried multiple Tn4401a copies. These strains were characterized by significantly higher CZA minimum inhibitory concentration compared with strains with no porin mutations or single Tn4401a copy, respectively, even if they did not overcome the resistance breakpoint of 8 ug/mL. Median 2 (IQR:1-2) virulence factors per strain were detected. The lowest number was observed in ST20 compared to the other STs (p<0.001). While ST307 was associated with infection events, a trend associated with colonization events could be observed for ST20. CONCLUSIONS Integration of genomic, resistance score, and clinical data allowed us to define a relative diversification of KPC-Kp in Northern Italy between 2019 and 2021, characterized by few large transmission chains and rare inter-hospital transmission. Our results also provided initial evidence of correlation between KPC-Kp genomic signatures and higher MIC levels to some antimicrobial agents or colonization/infection status, once again underlining WGS's importance in bacterial surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Fox
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Davide Mangioni
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Renica
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Agnese Comelli
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Teri
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Michela Zatelli
- Residency in Microbiology and Virology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Beatrice Silvia Orena
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Cristina Scuderi
- Microbiology Unit, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Annalisa Cavallero
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
| | - Marianna Rossi
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
| | - Maddalena Casana
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Ludovica Mela
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bielli
- Complex Unit of Clinical Microbiology, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Rossana Scutari
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Paola Morelli
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Lisa Cariani
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Erminia Casari
- Microbiology Unit, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Silvia Vismara
- Complex Unit of Clinical Microbiology, ASST Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy
| | - Caterina Matinato
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Annapaola Callegaro
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Bottazzi
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Cassani
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Gori
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Division of Infectious Diseases, L. Sacco University Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonio Muscatello
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bandera
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Alteri
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
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9
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Herencias C, Álvaro-Llorente L, Ramiro-Martínez P, Fernández-Calvet A, Muñoz-Cazalla A, DelaFuente J, Graf FE, Jaraba-Soto L, Castillo-Polo JA, Cantón R, San Millán Á, Rodríguez-Beltrán J. β-lactamase expression induces collateral sensitivity in Escherichia coli. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4731. [PMID: 38830889 PMCID: PMC11148083 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49122-2] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Major antibiotic groups are losing effectiveness due to the uncontrollable spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes. Among these, β-lactam resistance genes -encoding β-lactamases- stand as the most common resistance mechanism in Enterobacterales due to their frequent association with mobile genetic elements. In this context, novel approaches that counter mobile AMR are urgently needed. Collateral sensitivity (CS) occurs when the acquisition of resistance to one antibiotic increases susceptibility to another antibiotic and can be exploited to eliminate AMR selectively. However, most CS networks described so far emerge as a consequence of chromosomal mutations and cannot be leveraged to tackle mobile AMR. Here, we dissect the CS response elicited by the acquisition of a prevalent antibiotic resistance plasmid to reveal that the expression of the β-lactamase gene blaOXA-48 induces CS to colistin and azithromycin. We next show that other clinically relevant mobile β-lactamases produce similar CS responses in multiple, phylogenetically unrelated E. coli strains. Finally, by combining experiments with surveillance data comprising thousands of antibiotic susceptibility tests, we show that β-lactamase-induced CS is pervasive within Enterobacterales. These results highlight that the physiological side-effects of β-lactamases can be leveraged therapeutically, paving the way for the rational design of specific therapies to block mobile AMR or at least counteract their effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Herencias
- Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas-CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Laura Álvaro-Llorente
- Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paula Ramiro-Martínez
- Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Ada Muñoz-Cazalla
- Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Fabrice E Graf
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Centre for Antibiotic Resistance Research (CARe), University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Laura Jaraba-Soto
- Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Castillo-Polo
- Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Cantón
- Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas-CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro San Millán
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología-CSIC, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública-CIBERESP, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jerónimo Rodríguez-Beltrán
- Servicio de Microbiología, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas-CIBERINFEC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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10
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Lai HY, Cooper TF. Costs of antibiotic resistance genes depend on host strain and environment and can influence community composition. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240735. [PMID: 38889784 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) benefit host bacteria in environments containing corresponding antibiotics, but it is less clear how they are maintained in environments where antibiotic selection is weak or sporadic. In particular, few studies have measured if the direct effect of ARGs on host fitness is fixed or if it depends on the host strain, perhaps marking some ARG-host combinations as selective refuges that can maintain ARGs in the absence of antibiotic selection. We quantified the fitness effects of six ARGs in 11 diverse Escherichia spp. strains. Three ARGs (blaTEM-116, cat and dfrA5, encoding resistance to β-lactams, chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim, respectively) imposed an overall cost, but all ARGs had an effect in at least one host strain, reflecting a significant strain interaction effect. A simulation predicts these interactions can cause the success of ARGs to depend on available host strains, and, to a lesser extent, can cause host strain success to depend on the ARGs present in a community. These results indicate the importance of considering ARG effects across different host strains, and especially the potential of refuge strains to allow resistance to persist in the absence of direct selection, in efforts to understand resistance dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huei-Yi Lai
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden
| | - Tim F Cooper
- School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
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11
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Lin Z, Zhou Z, Shuai X, Zeng G, Bao R, Chen H. Landscape of plasmids encoding β-lactamases in disinfection residual Enterobacteriaceae from wastewater treatment plants. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 255:121549. [PMID: 38564891 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Conventional disinfection processes, such as chlorination and UV radiation, are ineffective in controling antibiotic-resistant bacteria, especially disinfection residual Enterobacteriaceae (DRE) encoding β-lactamases, some of which have been classified as "critical priority pathogens" by the World Health Organization. However, few studies have focused on the transferability, phenotype, and genetic characteristics of DRE-derived plasmids encoding β-lactamases, especially extended-spectrum β-lactamases and carbapenemases. In this study, we isolated 10 typical DRE harboring plasmid-mediated blaNDM, blaCTX-M, or blaTEM in post-disinfection effluent from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), with transfer frequency ranging from 1.69 × 10-6 to 3.02 × 10-5. According to genomic maps of plasmids, all blaNDM and blaTEM were cascaded with IS26, and blaCTX-M was adjacent to ISEcp1 or IS26, indicating the important role of these elements in the movement of β-lactamase-encoding genes. The presence of intact class 1 integrons on pWTPN-01 and pWTPC-03 suggested the ability of these DRE-derived plasmids to integrate other exogenous antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The coexistence of antibiotic, disinfectant, and heavy metal resistance genes on the same plasmid (e.g., pWTPT-03) implied the facilitating role of disinfectants and heavy metals in the transmission of DRE-derived ARGs. Notably, two plasmid transconjugants exhibited no discernible competitive fitness cost, suggesting a heightened environmental persistence. Furthermore, enhanced virulence induced by β-lactamase-encoding plasmids in their hosts was confirmed using Galleria mellonella infection models, which might be attributed to plasmid-mediated virulence genes. Overall, this study describes the landscape of β-lactamase-encoding plasmids in DRE, and highlights the urgent need for advanced control of DRE to keep environmental and ecological security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zejun Lin
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhenchao Zhou
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Xinyi Shuai
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Guangshu Zeng
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ruiqi Bao
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hong Chen
- College of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Key Laboratory of Environment Remediation and Ecological Health, Ministry of Education, College of Environmental Resource Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; International Cooperation Base of Environmental Pollution and Ecological Health, Science and Technology Agency of Zhejiang, Zhejiang University, China.
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12
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Zongo PD, Cabanel N, Royer G, Depardieu F, Hartmann A, Naas T, Glaser P, Rosinski-Chupin I. An antiplasmid system drives antibiotic resistance gene integration in carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli lineages. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4093. [PMID: 38750030 PMCID: PMC11096173 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48219-y] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmids carrying antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) are the main mechanism of resistance dissemination in Enterobacterales. However, the fitness-resistance trade-off may result in their elimination. Chromosomal integration of ARGs preserves resistance advantage while relieving the selective pressure for keeping costly plasmids. In some bacterial lineages, such as carbapenemase producing sequence type ST38 Escherichia coli, most ARGs are chromosomally integrated. Here we reproduce by experimental evolution the mobilisation of the carbapenemase blaOXA-48 gene from the pOXA-48 plasmid into the chromosome. We demonstrate that this integration depends on a plasmid-induced fitness cost, a mobile genetic structure embedding the ARG and a novel antiplasmid system ApsAB actively involved in pOXA-48 destabilization. We show that ApsAB targets high and low-copy number plasmids. ApsAB combines a nuclease/helicase protein and a novel type of Argonaute-like protein. It belongs to a family of defense systems broadly distributed among bacteria, which might have a strong ecological impact on plasmid diffusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengdbamba Dieudonné Zongo
- Ecology and Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Cabanel
- Ecology and Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Guilhem Royer
- Ecology and Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Florence Depardieu
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Synthetic Biology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Alain Hartmann
- UMR AgroEcologie 1347, INRAe, Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Dijon, France
| | - Thierry Naas
- Team ReSIST, INSERM UMR 1184, Paris-Saclay University, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
- Department of Bacteriology-Hygiene, Bicêtre Hospital, APHP, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
- Associated French National Reference Center for Antibiotic Resistance, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Philippe Glaser
- Ecology and Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Rosinski-Chupin
- Ecology and Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.
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13
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Nair RR, Andersson DI, Warsi OM. Antibiotic resistance begets more resistance: chromosomal resistance mutations mitigate fitness costs conferred by multi-resistant clinical plasmids. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0420623. [PMID: 38534122 PMCID: PMC11064507 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.04206-23] [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: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are the primary vectors of horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria. Previous studies have shown that the spread and maintenance of plasmids among bacterial populations depend on the genetic makeup of both the plasmid and the host bacterium. Antibiotic resistance can also be acquired through mutations in the bacterial chromosome, which not only confer resistance but also result in changes in bacterial physiology and typically a reduction in fitness. However, it is unclear whether chromosomal resistance mutations affect the interaction between plasmids and the host bacteria. To address this question, we introduced 13 clinical plasmids into a susceptible Escherichia coli strain and three different congenic mutants that were resistant to nitrofurantoin (ΔnfsAB), ciprofloxacin (gyrA, S83L), and streptomycin (rpsL, K42N) and determined how the plasmids affected the exponential growth rates of the host in glucose minimal media. We find that though plasmids confer costs on the susceptible strains, those costs are fully mitigated in the three resistant mutants. In several cases, this results in a competitive advantage of the resistant strains over the susceptible strain when both carry the same plasmid and are grown in the absence of antibiotics. Our results suggest that bacteria carrying chromosomal mutations for antibiotic resistance could be a better reservoir for resistance plasmids, thereby driving the evolution of multi-drug resistance.IMPORTANCEPlasmids have led to the rampant spread of antibiotic resistance genes globally. Plasmids often carry antibiotic resistance genes and other genes needed for its maintenance and spread, which typically confer a fitness cost on the host cell observed as a reduced growth rate. Resistance is also acquired via chromosomal mutations, and similar to plasmids they also reduce bacterial fitness. However, we do not know whether resistance mutations affect the bacterial ability to carry plasmids. Here, we introduced 13 multi-resistant clinical plasmids into a susceptible and three different resistant E. coli strains and found that most of these plasmids do confer fitness cost on susceptible cells, but these costs disappear in the resistant strains which often lead to fitness advantage for the resistant strains in the absence of antibiotic selection. Our results imply that already resistant bacteria are a more favorable reservoir for multi-resistant plasmids, promoting the ascendance of multi-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramith R. Nair
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dan I. Andersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Omar M. Warsi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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14
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Dos Santos LA, Cayô R, Valiatti TB, Gales AC, de Araújo LFB, Rodrigues FM, de Carvalho TS, Vaz MAB, Campanharo M. Biodiversity of carbapenem-resistant bacteria in clinical samples from the Southwest Amazon region (Rondônia/Brazil). Sci Rep 2024; 14:9383. [PMID: 38654061 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59733-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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Brazil is recognized for its biodiversity and the genetic variability of its organisms. This genetic variability becomes even more valuable when it is properly documented and accessible. Understanding bacterial diversity through molecular characterization is necessary as it can improve patient treatment, reduce the length of hospital stays and the selection of resistant bacteria, and generate data for health and epidemiological surveillance. In this sense, in this study, we aimed to understand the biodiversity and molecular epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant bacteria in clinical samples recovered in the state of Rondônia, located in the Southwest Amazon region. Retrospective data from the Central Public Health Laboratories (LACEN/RO) between 2018 and 2021 were analysed using the Laboratory Environment Manager Platform (GAL). Seventy-two species with carbapenem resistance profiles were identified, of which 25 species carried at least one gene encoding carbapenemases of classes A (blaKPC-like), B (blaNDM-like, blaSPM-like or blaVIM-like) and D (blaOXA-23-like, blaOXA-24-like, blaOXA-48-like, blaOXA-58-like or blaOXA-143-like), among which we will highlight Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Serratia marcescens, and Providencia spp. With these results, we hope to contribute to the field by providing epidemiological molecular data for state surveillance on bacterial resistance and assisting in public policy decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Levy Assis Dos Santos
- Federal University of Rondônia Foundation (UNIR), Postgraduate Program in Conservation and Use of Natural Resources (PPGReN), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil.
- Central Public Health Laboratory of Rondônia (LACEN/RO), Medical Biology Center, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil.
| | - Rodrigo Cayô
- Laboratory ALERTA, Department of Medicine, Paulista School of Medicine (EPM), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory of Bacteriology and Immunology (LIB), Department of Biological Sciences (DCB), Institute of Environmental, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences (ICAQF), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), Diadema, SP, Brazil
| | - Tiago Barcelos Valiatti
- Laboratory ALERTA, Department of Medicine, Paulista School of Medicine (EPM), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina Gales
- Laboratory ALERTA, Department of Medicine, Paulista School of Medicine (EPM), Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Larissa Fatarelli Bento de Araújo
- Federal University of Rondônia Foundation (UNIR), Postgraduate Program in Conservation and Use of Natural Resources (PPGReN), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Fernando Marques Rodrigues
- Central Public Health Laboratory of Rondônia (LACEN/RO), Medical Biology Center, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Tatiane Silva de Carvalho
- Central Public Health Laboratory of Rondônia (LACEN/RO), Medical Biology Center, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Marcos André Braz Vaz
- Department of Informatics and Statistics, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Marcela Campanharo
- Federal University of Rondônia Foundation (UNIR), Postgraduate Program in Conservation and Use of Natural Resources (PPGReN), Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
- Department of Agricultural and Biological Sciences (DCAB), Federal University of Espirito Santo, São Mateus, ES, Brazil
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15
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Sommer J, Reiter H, Sattler J, Cacace E, Eisfeld J, Gatermann S, Hamprecht A, Göttig S. Emergence of OXA-48-like producing Citrobacter species, Germany, 2011 to 2022. Euro Surveill 2024; 29:2300528. [PMID: 38606571 PMCID: PMC11010590 DOI: 10.2807/1560-7917.es.2024.29.15.2300528] [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: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
BackgroundCarbapenemase-producing Enterobacterales are a public health threat worldwide and OXA-48 is the most prevalent carbapenemase in Germany and western Europe. However, the molecular epidemiology of OXA-48 in species other than Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae remains poorly understood.AimTo analyse the molecular epidemiology of OXA-48 and OXA-48-like carbapenemases in Citrobacter species (spp.) in Germany between 2011 and 2022.MethodsData of 26,822 Enterobacterales isolates sent to the National Reference Centre (NRC) for Gram-negative bacteria were evaluated. Ninety-one Citrobacter isolates from 40 German hospitals harbouring bla OXA-48/OXA-48‑like were analysed by whole genome sequencing and conjugation experiments.ResultsThe frequency of OXA-48 in Citrobacter freundii (CF) has increased steadily since 2011 and is now the most prevalent carbapenemase in this species in Germany. Among 91 in-depth analysed Citrobacter spp. isolates, CF (n = 73) and C. koseri (n = 8) were the most common species and OXA-48 was the most common variant (n = 77), followed by OXA-162 (n = 11) and OXA‑181 (n = 3). Forty percent of the isolates belonged to only two sequence types (ST19 and ST22), while most other STs were singletons. The plasmids harbouring bla OXA‑48 and bla OXA-162 belonged to the plasmid types IncL (n = 85) or IncF (n = 3), and plasmids harbouring bla OXA‑181 to IncX3 (n = 3). Three IncL plasmid clusters (57/85 IncL plasmids) were identified, which were highly transferable in contrast to sporadic plasmids.ConclusionIn CF in Germany, OXA-48 is the predominant carbapenemase. Dissemination is likely due to distinct highly transmissible plasmids harbouring bla OXA‑48 or bla OXA-48-like and the spread of the high-risk clonal lineages ST19 and ST22.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Sommer
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Hannah Reiter
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Janko Sattler
- University Hospital Cologne and Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Cologne, Germany
| | - Elisabetta Cacace
- Institute of Microbiology, Department of Biology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jessica Eisfeld
- German National Reference Centre for Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Bacteria, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Sören Gatermann
- German National Reference Centre for Multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Bacteria, Department of Medical Microbiology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Axel Hamprecht
- University of Oldenburg and Klinikum Oldenburg, Institute for Medical Microbiology and Virology, Oldenburg, Germany
- University Hospital Cologne and Faculty of Medicine, University of Cologne, Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, Cologne, Germany
| | - Stephan Göttig
- Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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16
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Jiang X, Long J, Song Y, Qi X, Li P, Pan K, Yan C, Xu H, Liu H. The effect of triclosan on intergeneric horizontal transmission of plasmid-mediated tigecycline resistance gene tet(X4) from Citrobacter freundii isolated from grass carp gut. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 346:123658. [PMID: 38432343 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123658] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in pathogenic bacteria affects culture animal health, endangers food safety, and thus gravely threatens public health. However, information about the effect of disinfectants - triclosan (TCS) on ARGs dissemination of bacterial pathogens in aquatic animals is still limited. One Citrobacter freundii (C. freundii) strain harboring tet(X4)-resistant plasmid was isolated from farmed grass carp guts, and subsequently conjugative transfer frequency from C. freundii to Escherichia coli C600 (E. coli C600) was analyzed under different mating time, temperature, and ratio. The effect of different concentrations of TCS (0.02, 0.2, 2, 20, 200 and 2000 μg/L) on the conjugative transfer was detected. The optimum conditions for conjugative transfer were at 37 °C for 8h with mating ratio of 2:1 or 1:1 (C. freundii: E. coli C600). The conjugative transfer frequency was significantly promoted under TCS treatment and reached the maximum value under 2.00 μg/L TCS with 18.39 times that of the control group. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities, cell membrane permeability of C. freundii and E. coli C600 were obviously increased under TCS stress. Scanning electron microscope showed that the cell membrane surface of the conjugative strains was wrinkled and pitted, even broken at 2.00 μg/L TCS, while lysed or even ruptured at 200.00 μg/L TCS. In addition, TCS up-regulated expression levels of oxidative stress genes (katE, hemF, bcp, hemA, katG, ahpF, and ahpC) and cell membrane-related genes (fimC, bamE and ompA) of donor and recipient bacteria. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment demonstrated significant changes in categories relevant to pilus, porin activity, transmembrane transporter activity, transferase activity, hydrolase activity, material transport and metabolism. Taken together, a tet(X4)-resistant plasmid could horizontal transmission among different pathogens, while TCS can promote the propagation of the resistant plasmid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jingfei Long
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yanzhen Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaoyu Qi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ping Li
- Powerchina Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, Xi'an, 710065, China
| | - Kuiquan Pan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chenyang Yan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hongzhou Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Haixia Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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17
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Kogay R, Wolf YI, Koonin EV. Defence systems and horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. Environ Microbiol 2024; 26:e16630. [PMID: 38643972 PMCID: PMC11034907 DOI: 10.1111/1462-2920.16630] [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: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a fundamental process in prokaryotic evolution, contributing significantly to diversification and adaptation. HGT is typically facilitated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as conjugative plasmids and phages, which often impose fitness costs on their hosts. However, a considerable number of bacterial genes are involved in defence mechanisms that limit the propagation of MGEs, suggesting they may actively restrict HGT. In our study, we investigated whether defence systems limit HGT by examining the relationship between the HGT rate and the presence of 73 defence systems across 12 bacterial species. We discovered that only six defence systems, three of which were different CRISPR-Cas subtypes, were associated with a reduced gene gain rate at the species evolution scale. Hosts of these defence systems tend to have a smaller pangenome size and fewer phage-related genes compared to genomes without these systems. This suggests that these defence mechanisms inhibit HGT by limiting prophage integration. We hypothesize that the restriction of HGT by defence systems is species-specific and depends on various ecological and genetic factors, including the burden of MGEs and the fitness effect of HGT in bacterial populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Kogay
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Yuri I. Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Eugene V. Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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18
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DelaFuente J, Diaz-Colunga J, Sanchez A, San Millan A. Global epistasis in plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance. Mol Syst Biol 2024; 20:311-320. [PMID: 38409539 PMCID: PMC10987494 DOI: 10.1038/s44320-024-00012-1] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria is a major public health threat and conjugative plasmids play a key role in the dissemination of AMR genes among bacterial pathogens. Interestingly, the association between AMR plasmids and pathogens is not random and certain associations spread successfully at a global scale. The burst of genome sequencing has increased the resolution of epidemiological programs, broadening our understanding of plasmid distribution in bacterial populations. Despite the immense value of these studies, our ability to predict future plasmid-bacteria associations remains limited. Numerous empirical studies have recently reported systematic patterns in genetic interactions that enable predictability, in a phenomenon known as global epistasis. In this perspective, we argue that global epistasis patterns hold the potential to predict interactions between plasmids and bacterial genomes, thereby facilitating the prediction of future successful associations. To assess the validity of this idea, we use previously published data to identify global epistasis patterns in clinically relevant plasmid-bacteria associations. Furthermore, using simple mechanistic models of antibiotic resistance, we illustrate how global epistasis patterns may allow us to generate new hypotheses on the mechanisms associated with successful plasmid-bacteria associations. Collectively, we aim at illustrating the relevance of exploring global epistasis in the context of plasmid biology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Diaz-Colunga
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Functional Biology & Genomics, IBFG - CSIC, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Alvaro Sanchez
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
- Institute of Functional Biology & Genomics, IBFG - CSIC, Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Alvaro San Millan
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
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19
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Hernandez-Beltran JCR, Rodríguez-Beltrán J, Aguilar-Luviano OB, Velez-Santiago J, Mondragón-Palomino O, MacLean RC, Fuentes-Hernández A, San Millán A, Peña-Miller R. Plasmid-mediated phenotypic noise leads to transient antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2610. [PMID: 38521779 PMCID: PMC10960800 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-45045-0] [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: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The rise of antibiotic resistance is a critical public health concern, requiring an understanding of mechanisms that enable bacteria to tolerate antimicrobial agents. Bacteria use diverse strategies, including the amplification of drug-resistance genes. In this paper, we showed that multicopy plasmids, often carrying antibiotic resistance genes in clinical bacteria, can rapidly amplify genes, leading to plasmid-mediated phenotypic noise and transient antibiotic resistance. By combining stochastic simulations of a computational model with high-throughput single-cell measurements of blaTEM-1 expression in Escherichia coli MG1655, we showed that plasmid copy number variability stably maintains populations composed of cells with both low and high plasmid copy numbers. This diversity in plasmid copy number enhances the probability of bacterial survival in the presence of antibiotics, while also rapidly reducing the burden of carrying multiple plasmids in drug-free environments. Our results further support the tenet that multicopy plasmids not only act as vehicles for the horizontal transfer of genetic information between cells but also as drivers of bacterial adaptation, enabling rapid modulation of gene copy numbers. Understanding the role of multicopy plasmids in antibiotic resistance is critical, and our study provides insights into how bacteria can transiently survive lethal concentrations of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Carlos R Hernandez-Beltran
- Center for Genomic Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62210, Cuernavaca, México.
- Department of Microbial Population Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306, Plön, Germany.
| | | | | | - Jesús Velez-Santiago
- Center for Genomic Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62210, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Octavio Mondragón-Palomino
- Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - R Craig MacLean
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OX1 3SZ, Oxford, UK
| | - Ayari Fuentes-Hernández
- Center for Genomic Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62210, Cuernavaca, México
| | - Alvaro San Millán
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología - CSIC, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Peña-Miller
- Center for Genomic Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62210, Cuernavaca, México.
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20
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Hebert JD, Tang YJ, Andrejka L, Lopez SS, Petrov DA, Boross G, Winslow MM. Combinatorial in vivo genome editing identifies widespread epistasis during lung tumorigenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.07.583981. [PMID: 38496564 PMCID: PMC10942407 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.07.583981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma, the most common subtype of lung cancer, is genomically complex, with tumors containing tens to hundreds of non-synonymous mutations. However, little is understood about how genes interact with each other to enable tumorigenesis in vivo , largely due to a lack of methods for investigating genetic interactions in a high-throughput and multiplexed manner. Here, we employed a novel platform to generate tumors with all pairwise inactivation of ten tumor suppressor genes within an autochthonous mouse model of oncogenic KRAS-driven lung cancer. By quantifying the fitness of tumors with every single and double mutant genotype, we show that most tumor suppressor genetic interactions exhibited negative epistasis, with diminishing returns on tumor fitness. In contrast, Apc inactivation showed positive epistasis with the inactivation of several other genes, including dramatically synergistic effects on tumor fitness in combination with Lkb1 or Nf1 inactivation. This approach has the potential to expand the scope of genetic interactions that may be functionally characterized in vivo , which could lead to a better understanding of how complex tumor genotypes impact each step of carcinogenesis.
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21
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Fogarty EC, Schechter MS, Lolans K, Sheahan ML, Veseli I, Moore RM, Kiefl E, Moody T, Rice PA, Yu MK, Mimee M, Chang EB, Ruscheweyh HJ, Sunagawa S, Mclellan SL, Willis AD, Comstock LE, Eren AM. A cryptic plasmid is among the most numerous genetic elements in the human gut. Cell 2024; 187:1206-1222.e16. [PMID: 38428395 PMCID: PMC10973873 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.039] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Plasmids are extrachromosomal genetic elements that often encode fitness-enhancing features. However, many bacteria carry "cryptic" plasmids that do not confer clear beneficial functions. We identified one such cryptic plasmid, pBI143, which is ubiquitous across industrialized gut microbiomes and is 14 times as numerous as crAssphage, currently established as the most abundant extrachromosomal genetic element in the human gut. The majority of mutations in pBI143 accumulate in specific positions across thousands of metagenomes, indicating strong purifying selection. pBI143 is monoclonal in most individuals, likely due to the priority effect of the version first acquired, often from one's mother. pBI143 can transfer between Bacteroidales, and although it does not appear to impact bacterial host fitness in vivo, it can transiently acquire additional genetic content. We identified important practical applications of pBI143, including its use in identifying human fecal contamination and its potential as an alternative approach to track human colonic inflammatory states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Fogarty
- Committee on Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - Matthew S Schechter
- Committee on Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Karen Lolans
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Madeline L Sheahan
- Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Iva Veseli
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Graduate Program in Biophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Ryan M Moore
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Evan Kiefl
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Graduate Program in Biophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Thomas Moody
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Phoebe A Rice
- Committee on Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Biochemistry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Michael K Yu
- Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Mark Mimee
- Committee on Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Eugene B Chang
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Hans-Joachim Ruscheweyh
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Shinichi Sunagawa
- Department of Biology, Institute of Microbiology and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8093, Switzerland
| | - Sandra L Mclellan
- School of Freshwater Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53204, USA
| | - Amy D Willis
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Laurie E Comstock
- Committee on Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Duchossois Family Institute, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
| | - A Murat Eren
- Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA; Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA; Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany; Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment, University of Oldenburg, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany; Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, 28359 Bremen, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany.
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22
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Lai HY, Cooper TF. Interaction with a phage gene underlie costs of a β-lactamase. mBio 2024; 15:e0277623. [PMID: 38194254 PMCID: PMC10865808 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02776-23] [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: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The fitness cost of an antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) can differ across host strains, creating refuges that allow the maintenance of an ARG in the absence of direct selection for its resistance phenotype. Despite the importance of such ARG-host interactions for predicting ARG dynamics, the basis of ARG fitness costs and their variability between hosts are not well understood. We determined the genetic basis of a host-dependent cost of a β-lactamase, blaTEM-116*, that conferred a significant cost in one Escherichia coli strain but was close to neutral in 11 other Escherichia spp. strains. Selection of a blaTEM-116*-encoding plasmid in the strain in which it initially had a high cost resulted in rapid and parallel compensation for that cost through mutations in a P1-like phage gene, relAP1. When the wild-type relAP1 gene was added to a strain in which it was not present and in which blaTEM-116* was neutral, it caused the ARG to become costly. Thus, relAP1 is both necessary and sufficient to explain blaTEM-116* costs in at least some host backgrounds. To our knowledge, these findings represent the first demonstrated case of the cost of an ARG being influenced by a genetic interaction with a phage gene. The interaction between a phage gene and a plasmid-borne ARG highlights the complexity of selective forces determining the maintenance and spread of ARGs and, by extension, encoding phage and plasmids in natural bacterial communities.IMPORTANCEAntibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) play a major role in the increasing problem of antibiotic resistance in clinically relevant bacteria. Selection of these genes occurs in the presence of antibiotics, but their eventual success also depends on the sometimes substantial costs they impose on host bacteria in antibiotic-free environments. We evolved an ARG that confers resistance to penicillin-type antibiotics in one host in which it did confer a cost and in one host in which it did not. We found that costs were rapidly and consistently reduced through parallel genetic changes in a gene encoded by a phage that was infecting the costly host. The unmutated version of this gene was sufficient to cause the ARG to confer a cost in a host in which it was originally neutral, demonstrating an antagonism between the two genetic elements and underlining the range and complexity of pressures determining ARG dynamics in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huei-Yi Lai
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tim F. Cooper
- School of Natural Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
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23
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Kogay R, Wolf YI, Koonin EV. Defense systems and horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.09.579689. [PMID: 38410456 PMCID: PMC10896350 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.09.579689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a fundamental process in the evolution of prokaryotes, making major contributions to diversification and adaptation. Typically, HGT is facilitated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as conjugative plasmids and phages that generally impose fitness costs on their hosts. However, a substantial fraction of bacterial genes is involved in defense mechanisms that limit the propagation of MGEs, raising the possibility that they can actively restrict HGT. Here we examine whether defense systems curb HGT by exploring the connections between HGT rate and the presence of 73 defense systems in 12 bacterial species. We found that only 6 defense systems, 3 of which are different CRISPR-Cas subtypes, are associated with the reduced gene gain rate on the scale of species evolution. The hosts of such defense systems tend to have a smaller pangenome size and harbor fewer phage-related genes compared to genomes lacking these systems, suggesting that these defense mechanisms inhibit HGT by limiting the integration of prophages. We hypothesize that restriction of HGT by defense systems is species-specific and depends on various ecological and genetic factors, including the burden of MGEs and fitness effect of HGT in bacterial populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Kogay
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Yuri I. Wolf
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
| | - Eugene V. Koonin
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine. National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20894, USA
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24
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Guitart-Matas J, Espunyes J, Illera L, Gonzalez-Escalona N, Ribas MP, Marco I, Migura-Garcia L. High-risk lineages of extended spectrum cephalosporinase producing Escherichia coli from Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) foraging in landfills in north-eastern Spain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 909:168625. [PMID: 37977396 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168625] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Extended-spectrum cephalosporinase producing (ESC) E. coli are regarded as key indicator microorganisms of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), calling for a One Health integrated global surveillance strategy. Wildlife is exposed to antibiotic contaminants and/or resistant bacteria that have been released into the environment, potentially acting as reservoirs and spreaders of resistance genes as well as sentinels of anthropogenic pressure. Monitoring AMR in wildlife has become crucial in determining anthropogenic environmental impacts as well as transmission routes. In this study, we determined the occurrence and potential sources of ESC E. coli in 218 Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) foraging regularly on human waste disposed at a dumpsite in north-eastern Spain. Minimal inhibitory concentration for 14 different antimicrobials was performed to evaluate the phenotype of the isolates, and whole genome sequencing was carried out to investigate lineages and plasmids harbouring ESC genes. Our sequences were compared to previously published Spanish sequences of human, animal, and wildlife origin. We report a high prevalence of CTX-M-15, as well as the presence of other resistance genes such as OXA-10, CTX-M-27, and CTX-M-65 which are rarely described in European livestock, suggesting a human origin. The isolates also carried a diverse range of additional AMR genes for a broad spectrum of drug families, with the majority being multi-drug resistant. The phylogenomic analyses suggests the transmission of high-risk lineages from humans to vultures, with 49 % of our isolates matching the most common extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli (ExPEC) lineages described in humans worldwide, including ST131, ST10 and ST58. We conclude that anthropogenically altered habitats, such as landfills, are hotspots for the acquisition and spread of high-risk ESC E. coli lineages associated with hospital infections. Measures must be implemented to limit their spread into natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Judith Guitart-Matas
- Joint Research Unit IRTA-UAB in Animal Health, Animal Health Research Centre (CReSA), Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Catalonia, Spain; Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Animal Health Program (CReSA), WOAH Collaborating Centre for the Research and Control of Emerging and Re-Emerging Swine Diseases in Europe, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Johan Espunyes
- Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group (WildCoM), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Lucia Illera
- Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group (WildCoM), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Catalonia, Spain
| | | | - Maria Puig Ribas
- Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group (WildCoM), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Ignasi Marco
- Wildlife Conservation Medicine Research Group (WildCoM), Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Lourdes Migura-Garcia
- Joint Research Unit IRTA-UAB in Animal Health, Animal Health Research Centre (CReSA), Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Catalonia, Spain; Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), Animal Health Program (CReSA), WOAH Collaborating Centre for the Research and Control of Emerging and Re-Emerging Swine Diseases in Europe, Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), Catalonia, Spain.
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25
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Risely A, Newbury A, Stalder T, Simmons BI, Top EM, Buckling A, Sanders D. Host- plasmid network structure in wastewater is linked to antimicrobial resistance genes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:555. [PMID: 38228585 PMCID: PMC10791616 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-44827-w] [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: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
As mobile genetic elements, plasmids are central for our understanding of antimicrobial resistance spread in microbial communities. Plasmids can have varying fitness effects on their host bacteria, which will markedly impact their role as antimicrobial resistance vectors. Using a plasmid population model, we first show that beneficial plasmids interact with a higher number of hosts than costly plasmids when embedded in a community with multiple hosts and plasmids. We then analyse the network of a natural host-plasmid wastewater community from a Hi-C metagenomics dataset. As predicted by the model, we find that antimicrobial resistance encoding plasmids, which are likely to have positive fitness effects on their hosts in wastewater, interact with more bacterial taxa than non-antimicrobial resistance plasmids and are disproportionally important for connecting the entire network compared to non- antimicrobial resistance plasmids. This highlights the role of antimicrobials in restructuring host-plasmid networks by increasing the benefits of antimicrobial resistance carrying plasmids, which can have consequences for the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes through microbial networks. Furthermore, that antimicrobial resistance encoding plasmids are associated with a broader range of hosts implies that they will be more robust to turnover of bacterial strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Risely
- School of Science, Engineering, and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, M5 4WT, UK
| | - Arthur Newbury
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Thibault Stalder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Benno I Simmons
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Eva M Top
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Angus Buckling
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Dirk Sanders
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK.
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK.
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26
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Baquero F, Rodríguez-Beltrán J, Coque TM, del Campo R. Boosting Fitness Costs Associated with Antibiotic Resistance in the Gut: On the Way to Biorestoration of Susceptible Populations. Biomolecules 2024; 14:76. [PMID: 38254676 PMCID: PMC10812938 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010076] [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: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The acquisition and expression of antibiotic resistance implies changes in bacterial cell physiology, imposing fitness costs. Many human opportunistic pathogenic bacteria, such as those causing urinary tract or bloodstream infections, colonize the gut. In this opinionated review, we will examine the various types of stress that these bacteria might suffer during their intestinal stay. These stresses, and their compensatory responses, probably have a fitness cost, which might be additive to the cost of expressing antibiotic resistance. Such an effect could result in a disadvantage relative to antibiotic susceptible populations that might replace the resistant ones. The opinion proposed in this paper is that the effect of these combinations of fitness costs should be tested in antibiotic resistant bacteria with susceptible ones as controls. This testing might provide opportunities to increase the bacterial gut stress boosting physiological biomolecules or using dietary interventions. This approach to reduce the burden of antibiotic-resistant populations certainly must be answered empirically. In the end, the battle against antibiotic resistance should be won by antibiotic-susceptible organisms. Let us help them prevail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Baquero
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBER-ESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jerónimo Rodríguez-Beltrán
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Infectious Diseases (CIBER-INFEC), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Teresa M. Coque
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Infectious Diseases (CIBER-INFEC), 28034 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa del Campo
- Department of Microbiology, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Ramón y Cajal Institute for Health Research (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, Spain
- Network Center for Biomedical Research in Infectious Diseases (CIBER-INFEC), 28034 Madrid, Spain
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27
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Liu Z, Gao Y, Wang M, Liu Y, Wang F, Shi J, Wang Z, Li R. Adaptive evolution of plasmid and chromosome contributes to the fitness of a blaNDM-bearing cointegrate plasmid in Escherichia coli. THE ISME JOURNAL 2024; 18:wrae037. [PMID: 38438143 PMCID: PMC10976473 DOI: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae037] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Large cointegrate plasmids recruit genetic features of their parental plasmids and serve as important vectors in the spread of antibiotic resistance. They are now frequently found in clinical settings, raising the issue of how to limit their further transmission. Here, we conducted evolutionary research of a large blaNDM-positive cointegrate within Escherichia coli C600, and discovered that adaptive evolution of chromosome and plasmid jointly improved bacterial fitness, which was manifested as enhanced survival ability for in vivo and in vitro pairwise competition, biofilm formation, and gut colonization ability. From the plasmid aspect, large-scale DNA fragment loss is observed in an evolved clone. Although the evolved plasmid imposes a negligible fitness cost on host bacteria, its conjugation frequency is greatly reduced, and the deficiency of anti-SOS gene psiB is found responsible for the impaired horizontal transferability rather than the reduced fitness cost. These findings unveil an evolutionary strategy in which the plasmid horizontal transferability and fitness cost are balanced. From the chromosome perspective, all evolved clones exhibit parallel mutations in the transcriptional regulatory stringent starvation Protein A gene sspA. Through a sspA knockout mutant, transcriptome analysis, in vitro transcriptional activity assay, RT-qPCR, motility test, and scanning electron microscopy techniques, we demonstrated that the mutation in sspA reduces its transcriptional inhibitory capacity, thereby improving bacterial fitness, biofilm formation ability, and gut colonization ability by promoting bacterial flagella synthesis. These findings expand our knowledge of how cointegrate plasmids adapt to new bacterial hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyi Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- College of Animal Science and Technology & College of Veterinary medicine, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Hangzhou, 311300 Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanyun Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Mianzhi Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Fulin Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Shi
- Department of Pathogen Biology, School of Medicine and Holistic Integrative Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiqiang Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology Development, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruichao Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Jiangsu Key Lab of Zoonosis, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Comparative Medicine, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou, 225009 Jiangsu Province, People's Republic of China
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28
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Yu Z, He W, Klincke F, Madsen JS, Kot W, Hansen LH, Quintela-Baluja M, Balboa S, Dechesne A, Smets B, Nesme J, Sørensen SJ. Insights into the circular: The cryptic plasmidome and its derived antibiotic resistome in the urban water systems. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2024; 183:108351. [PMID: 38041983 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Plasmids have been a concern in the dissemination and evolution of antibiotic resistance in the environment. In this study, we investigated the total pool of plasmids (plasmidome) and its derived antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in different compartments of urban water systems (UWSs) in three European countries representing different antibiotic usage regimes. We applied a direct plasmidome approach using wet-lab methods to enrich circular DNA in the samples, followed by shotgun sequencing and in silico contig circularisation. We identified 9538 novel sequences in a total of 10,942 recovered circular plasmids. Of these, 66 were identified as conjugative, 1896 mobilisable and 8970 non-mobilisable plasmids. The UWSs' plasmidome was dominated by small plasmids (≤10 Kbp) representing a broad diversity of mobility (MOB) types and incompatibility (Inc) groups. A shared collection of plasmids from different countries was detected in all treatment compartments, and plasmids could be source-tracked in the UWSs. More than half of the ARGs-encoding plasmids carried mobility genes for mobilisation/conjugation. The richness and abundance of ARGs-encoding plasmids generally decreased with the flow, while we observed that non-mobilisable ARGs-harbouring plasmids maintained their abundance in the Spanish wastewater treatment plant. Overall, our work unravels that the UWS plasmidome is dominated by cryptic (i.e., non-mobilisable, non-typeable and previously unknown) plasmids. Considering that some of these plasmids carried ARGs, were prevalent across three countries and could persist throughout the UWSs compartments, these results should alarm and call for attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuofeng Yu
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Wanli He
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Franziska Klincke
- 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
| | - Witold Kot
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Lars Hestbjerg Hansen
- Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Plant and Environmental Science, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, DK-1871 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Marcos Quintela-Baluja
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, University of Santiago de Compostela, Praza do Obradoiro, 0, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
| | - Sabela Balboa
- School of Engineering, Newcastle University, NE1 7RX Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - 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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29
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Castañeda-Barba S, Top EM, Stalder T. Plasmids, a molecular cornerstone of antimicrobial resistance in the One Health era. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:18-32. [PMID: 37430173 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-00926-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a substantial threat to human health. The widespread prevalence of AMR is, in part, due to the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), typically mediated by plasmids. Many of the plasmid-mediated resistance genes in pathogens originate from environmental, animal or human habitats. Despite evidence that plasmids mobilize ARGs between these habitats, we have a limited understanding of the ecological and evolutionary trajectories that facilitate the emergence of multidrug resistance (MDR) plasmids in clinical pathogens. One Health, a holistic framework, enables exploration of these knowledge gaps. In this Review, we provide an overview of how plasmids drive local and global AMR spread and link different habitats. We explore some of the emerging studies integrating an eco-evolutionary perspective, opening up a discussion about the factors that affect the ecology and evolution of plasmids in complex microbial communities. Specifically, we discuss how the emergence and persistence of MDR plasmids can be affected by varying selective conditions, spatial structure, environmental heterogeneity, temporal variation and coexistence with other members of the microbiome. These factors, along with others yet to be investigated, collectively determine the emergence and transfer of plasmid-mediated AMR within and between habitats at the local and global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salvador Castañeda-Barba
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Eva M Top
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
- Institute for Modelling Collaboration and Innovation, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Thibault Stalder
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA.
- Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA.
- Institute for Modelling Collaboration and Innovation, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA.
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30
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Alonso-del Valle A, Toribio-Celestino L, Quirant A, Pi CT, DelaFuente J, Canton R, Rocha EPC, Ubeda C, Peña-Miller R, San Millan A. Antimicrobial resistance level and conjugation permissiveness shape plasmid distribution in clinical enterobacteria. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2314135120. [PMID: 38096417 PMCID: PMC10741383 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314135120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Conjugative plasmids play a key role in the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes across bacterial pathogens. AMR plasmids are widespread in clinical settings, but their distribution is not random, and certain associations between plasmids and bacterial clones are particularly successful. For example, the globally spread carbapenem resistance plasmid pOXA-48 can use a wide range of enterobacterial species as hosts, but it is usually associated with a small number of specific Klebsiella pneumoniae clones. These successful associations represent an important threat for hospitalized patients. However, knowledge remains limited about the factors determining AMR plasmid distribution in clinically relevant bacteria. Here, we combined in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches to analyze pOXA-48-associated AMR levels and conjugation dynamics in a collection of wild-type enterobacterial strains isolated from hospitalized patients. Our results revealed significant variability in these traits across different bacterial hosts, with Klebsiella spp. strains showing higher pOXA-48-mediated AMR and conjugation frequencies than Escherichia coli strains. Using experimentally determined parameters, we developed a simple mathematical model to interrogate the contribution of AMR levels and conjugation permissiveness to plasmid distribution in bacterial communities. The simulations revealed that a small subset of clones, combining high AMR levels and conjugation permissiveness, play a critical role in stabilizing the plasmid in different polyclonal microbial communities. These results help to explain the preferential association of plasmid pOXA-48 with K. pneumoniae clones in clinical settings. More generally, our study reveals that species- and strain-specific variability in plasmid-associated phenotypes shape AMR evolution in clinically relevant bacterial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aida Alonso-del Valle
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
| | - Laura Toribio-Celestino
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
| | - Anna Quirant
- Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia46020, Spain
| | - Carles Tardio Pi
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca62209, México
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Matemáticas Aplicadas y en Sistemas, Unidad Académica Yucatán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Yucatán04510, México
| | - Javier DelaFuente
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
| | - Rafael Canton
- Servicio de Microbiología, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal-Instituto Ramon y Cajal de Investigacion Sanitaria, Madrid28034, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid28029, Spain
| | - Eduardo P. C. Rocha
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Microbial Evolutionary Genomics, Paris75015, France
| | - Carles Ubeda
- Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana, Valencia46020, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid28029, Spain
| | - Rafael Peña-Miller
- Centro de Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca62209, México
| | - Alvaro San Millan
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Madrid28049, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid28029, Spain
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31
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Kosterlitz O, Grassi N, Werner B, McGee RS, Top EM, Kerr B. Evolutionary "Crowdsourcing": Alignment of Fitness Landscapes Allows for Cross-species Adaptation of a Horizontally Transferred Gene. Mol Biol Evol 2023; 40:msad237. [PMID: 37931146 PMCID: PMC10657783 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msad237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Genes that undergo horizontal gene transfer (HGT) evolve in different genomic backgrounds. Despite the ubiquity of cross-species HGT, the effects of switching hosts on gene evolution remains understudied. Here, we present a framework to examine the evolutionary consequences of host-switching and apply this framework to an antibiotic resistance gene commonly found on conjugative plasmids. Specifically, we determined the adaptive landscape of this gene for a small set of mutationally connected genotypes in 3 enteric species. We uncovered that the landscape topographies were largely aligned with minimal host-dependent mutational effects. By simulating gene evolution over the experimentally gauged landscapes, we found that the adaptive evolution of the mobile gene in one species translated to adaptation in another. By simulating gene evolution over artificial landscapes, we found that sufficient alignment between landscapes ensures such "adaptive equivalency" across species. Thus, given adequate landscape alignment within a bacterial community, vehicles of HGT such as plasmids may enable a distributed form of genetic evolution across community members, where species can "crowdsource" adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Kosterlitz
- Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Nathan Grassi
- Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Bailey Werner
- Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Ryan Seamus McGee
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Washington University, St.Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Eva M Top
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Benjamin Kerr
- Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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32
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Sun H, Li H, Zhang X, Liu Y, Chen H, Zheng L, Zhai Y, Zheng H. The honeybee gut resistome and its role in antibiotic resistance dissemination. Integr Zool 2023; 18:1014-1026. [PMID: 36892101 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
There is now general concern about widespread antibiotic resistance, and growing evidence indicates that gut microbiota is critical in providing antibiotic resistance. Honeybee is an important pollinator; the incidence of antibiotic resistance genes in honeybee gut causes potential risks to not only its own health but also to public and animal health, for its potential disseminator role, thus receiving more attention from the public. Recent analysis results reveal that the gut of honeybee serves as a reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes, probably due to antibiotics application history in beekeeping and horizontal gene transfer from the highly polluted environment. These antibiotic resistance genes accumulate in the honeybee gut and could be transferred to the pathogen, even having the potential to spread during pollination, tending, social interactions, etc. Newly acquired resistance traits may cause fitness reduction in bacteria whereas facilitating adaptive evolution as well. This review outlines the current knowledge about the resistome in honeybee gut and emphasizes its role in antibiotic resistance dissemination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihui Sun
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Sanya Institute of China Agricultural University, Sanya, China
| | - Hu Li
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xue Zhang
- Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Liu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
| | - Li Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
| | - Yifan Zhai
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
| | - Hao Zheng
- Institute of Plant Protection, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, China
- Key Laboratory of Natural Enemies Insects, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Jinan, China
- Shandong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center on Biocontrol of Crops Diseases and Insect Pests, Jinan, China
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33
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Ogunlana L, Kaur D, Shaw LP, Jangir P, Walsh T, Uphoff S, MacLean RC. Regulatory fine-tuning of mcr-1 increases bacterial fitness and stabilises antibiotic resistance in agricultural settings. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:2058-2069. [PMID: 37723338 PMCID: PMC10579358 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01509-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance tends to carry fitness costs, making it difficult to understand how resistance can be maintained in the absence of continual antibiotic exposure. Here we investigate this problem in the context of mcr-1, a globally disseminated gene that confers resistance to colistin, an agricultural antibiotic that is used as a last resort for the treatment of multi-drug resistant infections. Here we show that regulatory evolution has fine-tuned the expression of mcr-1, allowing E. coli to reduce the fitness cost of mcr-1 while simultaneously increasing colistin resistance. Conjugative plasmids have transferred low-cost/high-resistance mcr-1 alleles across an incredible diversity of E. coli strains, further stabilising mcr-1 at the species level. Regulatory mutations were associated with increased mcr-1 stability in pig farms following a ban on the use of colistin as a growth promoter that decreased colistin consumption by 90%. Our study shows how regulatory evolution and plasmid transfer can combine to stabilise resistance and limit the impact of reducing antibiotic consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lois Ogunlana
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Divjot Kaur
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Liam P Shaw
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Stockton Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, UK
| | - Pramod Jangir
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
| | - Timothy Walsh
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK
- Ineos Oxford Institute for Antimicrobial Research, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Stephan Uphoff
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - R C MacLean
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, UK.
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34
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Allain M, Mahérault AC, Gachet B, Martinez C, Condamine B, Magnan M, Kempf I, Denamur E, Landraud L. Dissemination of IncI plasmid encoding bla CTX-M-1 is not hampered by its fitness cost in the pig's gut. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0011123. [PMID: 37702541 PMCID: PMC10583664 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00111-23] [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: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiresistance plasmids belonging to the IncI incompatibility group have become one of the most pervasive plasmid types in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli of animal origin. The extent of the burden imposed on the bacterial cell by these plasmids seems to modulate the emergence of "epidemic" plasmids. However, in vivo data in the natural environment of the strains are scarce. Here, we investigated the cost of a bla CTX-M-1-IncI1 epidemic plasmid in a commensal E. coli animal strain, UB12-RC, before and after oral inoculation of 15 6- to 8-week- old specific-pathogen-free pigs. Growth rate in rich medium was determined on (i) UB12-RC and derivatives, with or without plasmid, in vivo and/or in vitro evolved, and (ii) strains that acquired the plasmid in the gut during the experiment. Although bla CTX-M-1-IncI1 plasmid imposed no measurable burden on the recipient strain after conjugation and during the longitudinal carriage in the pig's gut, we observed a significant difference in the bacterial growth rate between IncI1 plasmid-carrying and plasmid-free isolates collected during in vivo carriage. Only a few mutations on the chromosome of the UB12-RC derivatives were detected by whole-genome sequencing. RNA-Seq analysis of a selected set of these strains showed that transcriptional responses to the bla CTX-M-1-IncI1 acquisition were limited, affecting metabolism, stress response, and motility functions. Our data suggest that the effect of IncI plasmid on host cells is limited, fitness cost being insufficient to act as a barrier to IncI plasmid spread among natural population of E. coli in the gut niche.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaux Allain
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Hygiène, Hôpital Louis Mourier, Colombes, France
| | - Anne Claire Mahérault
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Hygiène, Hôpital Louis Mourier, Colombes, France
| | - Benoit Gachet
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
| | - Caroline Martinez
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
| | - Bénédicte Condamine
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
| | - Mélanie Magnan
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
| | - Isabelle Kempf
- ANSES, Laboratoire de Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort, Ploufragan, France
| | - Erick Denamur
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Laboratoire de Génétique Moléculaire, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France
| | - Luce Landraud
- Université Paris Cité and Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, INSERM, IAME, Paris, France
- AP-HP, Laboratoire de Microbiologie Hygiène, Hôpital Louis Mourier, Colombes, France
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35
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Weiss A, Wang T, You L. Promotion of plasmid maintenance by heterogeneous partitioning of microbial communities. Cell Syst 2023; 14:895-905.e5. [PMID: 37820728 PMCID: PMC10591896 DOI: 10.1016/j.cels.2023.09.002] [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: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Transferable plasmids play a critical role in shaping the functions of microbial communities. Previous studies suggested multiple mechanisms underlying plasmid persistence and abundance. Here, we focus on the interplay between heterogeneous community partitioning and plasmid fates. Natural microbiomes often experience partitioning that creates heterogeneous local communities with reduced population sizes and biodiversity. Little is known about how population partitioning affects the plasmid fate through the modulation of community structure. By modeling and experiments, we show that heterogeneous community partitioning can paradoxically promote the persistence of a plasmid that would otherwise not persist in a global community. Among the local communities created by partitioning, a minority will primarily consist of members able to transfer the plasmid fast enough to support its maintenance by serving as a local plasmid haven. Our results provide insights into plasmid maintenance and suggest a generalizable approach to modulate plasmid persistence for engineering and medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Weiss
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Teng Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Lingchong You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Center for Quantitative Biodesign, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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36
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Sünderhauf D, Klümper U, Gaze WH, Westra ER, van Houte S. Interspecific competition can drive plasmid loss from a focal species in a microbial community. THE ISME JOURNAL 2023; 17:1765-1773. [PMID: 37558861 PMCID: PMC10504238 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-023-01487-w] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
Plasmids are key disseminators of antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factors, and it is therefore critical to predict and reduce plasmid spread within microbial communities. The cost of plasmid carriage is a key metric that can be used to predict plasmids' ecological fate, and it is unclear whether plasmid costs are affected by growth partners in a microbial community. We carried out competition experiments and tracked plasmid maintenance using a model system consisting of a synthetic and stable five-species community and a broad host-range plasmid, engineered to carry different payloads. We report that both the cost of plasmid carriage and its long-term maintenance in a focal strain depended on the presence of competitors, and that these interactions were species specific. Addition of growth partners increased the cost of a high-payload plasmid to a focal strain, and accordingly, plasmid loss from the focal species occurred over a shorter time frame. We propose that the destabilising effect of interspecific competition on plasmid maintenance may be leveraged in clinical and natural environments to cure plasmids from focal strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Sünderhauf
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.
| | - Uli Klümper
- Department Hydrosciences, Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Hydrobiology, Dresden, Germany
| | - William H Gaze
- European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Edze R Westra
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Stineke van Houte
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Environment and Sustainability Institute, Penryn, TR10 9FE, UK.
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37
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Yousefi M, Andrejka L, Szamecz M, Winslow MM, Petrov DA, Boross G. Fully accessible fitness landscape of oncogene-negative lung adenocarcinoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2303224120. [PMID: 37695905 PMCID: PMC10515140 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2303224120] [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: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer genomes are almost invariably complex with genomic alterations cooperating during each step of carcinogenesis. In cancers that lack a single dominant oncogene mutation, cooperation between the inactivation of multiple tumor suppressor genes can drive tumor initiation and growth. Here, we shed light on how the sequential acquisition of genomic alterations generates oncogene-negative lung tumors. We couple tumor barcoding with combinatorial and multiplexed somatic genome editing to characterize the fitness landscapes of three tumor suppressor genes NF1, RASA1, and PTEN, the inactivation of which jointly drives oncogene-negative lung adenocarcinoma initiation and growth. The fitness landscape was surprisingly accessible, with each additional mutation leading to growth advantage. Furthermore, the fitness landscapes remained fully accessible across backgrounds with the inactivation of additional tumor suppressor genes. These results suggest that while predicting cancer evolution will be challenging, acquiring the multiple alterations that drive the growth of oncogene-negative tumors can be facilitated by the lack of constraints on mutational order.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Yousefi
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Laura Andrejka
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Márton Szamecz
- Eötvös Loránd University, Faculty of Informatics, Budapest1053, Hungary
| | - Monte M. Winslow
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Dmitri A. Petrov
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA94305
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
| | - Gábor Boross
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA94305
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38
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Weisberg AJ, Chang JH. Mobile Genetic Element Flexibility as an Underlying Principle to Bacterial Evolution. Annu Rev Microbiol 2023; 77:603-624. [PMID: 37437216 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-032521-022006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Mobile genetic elements are key to the evolution of bacteria and traits that affect host and ecosystem health. Here, we use a framework of a hierarchical and modular system that scales from genes to populations to synthesize recent findings on mobile genetic elements (MGEs) of bacteria. Doing so highlights the role that emergent properties of flexibility, robustness, and genetic capacitance of MGEs have on the evolution of bacteria. Some of their traits can be stored, shared, and diversified across different MGEs, taxa of bacteria, and time. Collectively, these properties contribute to maintaining functionality against perturbations while allowing changes to accumulate in order to diversify and give rise to new traits. These properties of MGEs have long challenged our abilities to study them. Implementation of new technologies and strategies allows for MGEs to be analyzed in new and powerful ways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra J Weisberg
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA;
| | - Jeff H Chang
- Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA;
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Abstract
A massive number of microorganisms, belonging to different species, continuously divide inside the guts of animals and humans. The large size of these communities and their rapid division times imply that we should be able to watch microbial evolution in the gut in real time, in a similar manner to what has been done in vitro. Here, we review recent findings on how natural selection shapes intrahost evolution (also known as within-host evolution), with a focus on the intestines of mice and humans. The microbiota of a healthy host is not as static as initially thought from the information measured at only one genomic marker. Rather, the genomes of each gut-colonizing species can be highly dynamic, and such dynamism seems to be related to the microbiota species diversity. Genetic and bioinformatic tools, and analysis of time series data, allow quantification of the selection strength on emerging mutations and horizontal transfer events in gut ecosystems. The drivers and functional consequences of gut evolution can now begin to be grasped. The rules of this intrahost microbiota evolution, and how they depend on the biology of each species, need to be understood for more effective development of microbiota therapies to help maintain or restore host health.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Isabel Gordo
- Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, Oeiras, Portugal.
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40
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Brülisauer L, León-Sampedro R, Hall AR. Clinical antibiotic-resistance plasmids have small effects on biofilm formation and population growth in Escherichia coli in vitro. Plasmid 2023; 128:102706. [PMID: 37652194 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2023.102706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AR) mechanisms encoded on plasmids can affect other phenotypic traits in bacteria, including biofilm formation. These effects may be important contributors to the spread of AR and the evolutionary success of plasmids, but it is not yet clear how common such effects are for clinical plasmids/bacteria, and how they vary among different plasmids and host strains. Here, we used a combinatorial approach to test the effects of clinical AR plasmids on biofilm formation and population growth in clinical and laboratory Escherichia coli strains. In most of the 25 plasmid-bacterium combinations tested, we observed no significant change in biofilm formation upon plasmid introduction, contrary to the notion that plasmids frequently alter biofilm formation. In a few cases we detected altered biofilm formation, and these effects were specific to particular plasmid-bacterium combinations. By contrast, we found a relatively strong effect of a chromosomal streptomycin-resistance mutation (in rpsL) on biofilm formation. Further supporting weak and host-strain-dependent effects of clinical plasmids on bacterial phenotypes in the combinations we tested, we found growth costs associated with plasmid carriage (measured in the absence of antibiotics) were moderate and varied among bacterial strains. These findings suggest some key clinical resistance plasmids cause only mild phenotypic disruption to their host bacteria, which may contribute to the persistence of plasmids in the absence of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Brülisauer
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Ricardo León-Sampedro
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland; Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red, Epidemiología y Salud Pública- CIBERESP, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alex R Hall
- Institute of Integrative Biology, Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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41
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Element SJ, Moran RA, Beattie E, Hall RJ, van Schaik W, Buckner MM. Growth in a biofilm promotes conjugation of a bla NDM-1-bearing plasmid between Klebsiella pneumoniae strains. mSphere 2023; 8:e0017023. [PMID: 37417759 PMCID: PMC10449501 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00170-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing problem, especially in Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae such as Klebsiella pneumoniae. Horizontal transfer of conjugative plasmids contributes to AMR gene dissemination. Bacteria such as K. pneumoniae commonly exist in biofilms, yet most studies focus on planktonic cultures. Here we studied the transfer of a multi-drug resistance plasmid in planktonic and biofilm populations of K. pneumoniae. We determined plasmid transfer from a clinical isolate, CPE16, which carried four plasmids, including the 119-kbp blaNDM-1-bearing F-type plasmid pCPE16_3, in planktonic and biofilm conditions. We found that transfer frequency of pCPE16_3 in a biofilm was orders-of-magnitude higher than between planktonic cells. In 5/7 sequenced transconjugants (TCs) multiple plasmids had transferred. Plasmid acquisition had no detectable growth impact on TCs. Gene expression of the recipient and a transconjugant was investigated by RNA-sequencing in three lifestyles: planktonic exponential growth, planktonic stationary phase, and biofilm. We found that lifestyle had a substantial impact on chromosomal gene expression, and plasmid carriage affected chromosomal gene expression most in stationary planktonic and biofilm lifestyles. Furthermore, expression of plasmid genes was lifestyle-dependent, with distinct signatures across the three conditions. Our study shows that growth in biofilm greatly increased the risk of conjugative transfer of a carbapenem resistance plasmid in K. pneumoniae without fitness costs and minimal transcriptional rearrangements, thus highlighting the importance of biofilms in the spread of AMR in this opportunistic pathogen. IMPORTANCE Carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae is particularly problematic in hospital settings. Carbapenem resistance genes can transfer between bacteria via plasmid conjugation. Alongside drug resistance, K. pneumoniae can form biofilms on hospital surfaces, at infection sites and on implanted devices. Biofilms are naturally protected and can be inherently more tolerant to antimicrobials than their free-floating counterparts. There have been indications that plasmid transfer may be more likely in biofilm populations, thus creating a conjugation "hotspot". However, there is no clear consensus on the effect of the biofilm lifestyle on plasmid transfer. Therefore, we aimed to explore the transfer of a plasmid in planktonic and biofilm conditions, and the impact of plasmid acquisition on a new bacterial host. Our data show transfer of a resistance plasmid is increased in a biofilm, which may be a significant contributing factor to the rapid dissemination of resistance plasmids in K. pneumoniae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Element
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Robert A. Moran
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Emilie Beattie
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca J. Hall
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Willem van Schaik
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
| | - Michelle M.C. Buckner
- Institute of Microbiology and Infection, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, West Midlands, United Kingdom
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Fernández-Calvet A, Toribio-Celestino L, Alonso-del Valle A, Sastre-Dominguez J, Valdes-Chiara P, San Millan A, DelaFuente J. The distribution of fitness effects of plasmid pOXA-48 in clinical enterobacteria. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001369. [PMID: 37505800 PMCID: PMC10433420 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria is a major public health problem. The main route for AMR acquisition in clinically important bacteria is the horizontal transfer of plasmids carrying resistance genes. AMR plasmids allow bacteria to survive antibiotics, but they also entail physiological alterations in the host cell. Multiple studies over the last few years have indicated that these alterations can translate into a fitness cost when antibiotics are absent. However, due to technical limitations, most of these studies are based on analysing new associations between plasmids and bacteria generated in vitro, and we know very little about the effects of plasmids in their native bacterial hosts. In this study, we used a CRISPR-Cas9-tool to selectively cure plasmids from clinical enterobacteria to overcome this limitation. Using this approach, we were able to study the fitness effects of the carbapenem resistance plasmid pOXA-48 in 35 pOXA-48-carrying isolates recovered from hospitalized patients. Our results revealed that pOXA-48 produces variable effects across the collection of wild-type enterobacterial strains naturally carrying the plasmid, ranging from fitness costs to fitness benefits. Importantly, the plasmid was only associated with a significant fitness reduction in four out of 35 clones, and produced no significant changes in fitness in the great majority of isolates. Our results suggest that plasmids produce neutral fitness effects in most native bacterial hosts, helping to explain the great prevalence of plasmids in natural microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Alvaro San Millan
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biológica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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43
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Dewan I, Uecker H. A mathematician's guide to plasmids: an introduction to plasmid biology for modellers. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2023; 169:001362. [PMID: 37505810 PMCID: PMC10433428 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.001362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Plasmids, extrachromosomal DNA molecules commonly found in bacterial and archaeal cells, play an important role in bacterial genetics and evolution. Our understanding of plasmid biology has been furthered greatly by the development of mathematical models, and there are many questions about plasmids that models would be useful in answering. In this review, we present an introductory, yet comprehensive, overview of the biology of plasmids suitable for modellers unfamiliar with plasmids who want to get up to speed and to begin working on plasmid-related models. In addition to reviewing the diversity of plasmids and the genes they carry, their key physiological functions, and interactions between plasmid and host, we also highlight selected plasmid topics that may be of particular interest to modellers and areas where there is a particular need for theoretical development. The world of plasmids holds a great variety of subjects that will interest mathematical biologists, and introducing new modellers to the subject will help to expand the existing body of plasmid theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Dewan
- Research Group Stochastic Evolutionary Dynamics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
| | - Hildegard Uecker
- Research Group Stochastic Evolutionary Dynamics, Department of Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön, Germany
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44
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Elsener TA, Jolley KA, Sanders E, Maiden MCJ, Cehovin A, Tang CM. There are three major Neisseria gonorrhoeae β-lactamase plasmid variants which are associated with specific lineages and carry distinct TEM alleles. Microb Genom 2023; 9:mgen001057. [PMID: 37436798 PMCID: PMC10438826 DOI: 10.1099/mgen.0.001057] [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: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a significant threat to global health with an estimated incidence of over 80 million cases each year and high levels of antimicrobial resistance. The gonococcal β-lactamase plasmid, pbla, carries the TEM β-lactamase, which requires only one or two amino acid changes to become an extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL); this would render last resort treatments for gonorrhoea ineffective. Although pbla is not mobile, it can be transferred by the conjugative plasmid, pConj, found in N. gonorrhoeae. Seven variants of pbla have been described previously, but little is known about their frequency or distribution in the gonococcal population. We characterised sequences of pbla variants and devised a typing scheme, Ng_pblaST that allows their identification from whole genome short-read sequences. We implemented Ng_pblaST to assess the distribution of pbla variants in 15 532 gonococcal isolates. This demonstrated that only three pbla variants commonly circulate in gonococci, which together account for >99 % of sequences. The pbla variants carry different TEM alleles and are prevalent in distinct gonococcal lineages. Analysis of 2758 pbla-containing isolates revealed the co-occurrence of pbla with certain pConj types, indicating co-operativity between pbla and pConj variants in the spread of plasmid-mediated AMR in N. gonorrhoeae. Understanding the variation and distribution of pbla is essential for monitoring and predicting the spread of plasmid-mediated β-lactam resistance in N. gonorrhoeae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tabea A. Elsener
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Eduard Sanders
- Arum Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa, and KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilfi, Kenya
| | | | - Ana Cehovin
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Christoph M. Tang
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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45
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Vanacker M, Lenuzza N, Rasigade JP. The fitness cost of horizontally transferred and mutational antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1186920. [PMID: 37455716 PMCID: PMC10348881 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1186920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in bacteria implies a tradeoff between the benefit of resistance under antimicrobial selection pressure and the incurred fitness cost in the absence of antimicrobials. The fitness cost of a resistance determinant is expected to depend on its genetic support, such as a chromosomal mutation or a plasmid acquisition, and on its impact on cell metabolism, such as an alteration in an essential metabolic pathway or the production of a new enzyme. To provide a global picture of the factors that influence AMR fitness cost, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis focused on a single species, Escherichia coli. By combining results from 46 high-quality studies in a multilevel meta-analysis framework, we find that the fitness cost of AMR is smaller when provided by horizontally transferable genes such as those encoding beta-lactamases, compared to mutations in core genes such as those involved in fluoroquinolone and rifampicin resistance. We observe that the accumulation of acquired AMR genes imposes a much smaller burden on the host cell than the accumulation of AMR mutations, and we provide quantitative estimates of the additional cost of a new gene or mutation. These findings highlight that gene acquisition is more efficient than the accumulation of mutations to evolve multidrug resistance, which can contribute to the observed dominance of horizontally transferred genes in the current AMR epidemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Vanacker
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Natacha Lenuzza
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Jean-Philippe Rasigade
- CIRI, Centre International de Recherche en Infectiologie, Université de Lyon, Inserm U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, ENS de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Institut des Agents Infectieux, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
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46
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Ma Y, Ramoneda J, Johnson DR. Timing of antibiotic administration determines the spread of plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance during microbial range expansion. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3530. [PMID: 37316482 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39354-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmids are the main vector by which antibiotic resistance is transferred between bacterial cells within surface-associated communities. In this study, we ask whether there is an optimal time to administer antibiotics to minimize plasmid spread in new bacterial genotypes during community expansion across surfaces. We address this question using consortia of Pseudomonas stutzeri strains, where one is an antibiotic resistance-encoding plasmid donor and the other a potential recipient. We allowed the strains to co-expand across a surface and administered antibiotics at different times. We find that plasmid transfer and transconjugant proliferation have unimodal relationships with the timing of antibiotic administration, where they reach maxima at intermediate times. These unimodal relationships result from the interplay between the probabilities of plasmid transfer and loss. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the transfer and proliferation of antibiotic resistance-encoding plasmids within microbial communities and identifies the timing of antibiotic administration as an important determinant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinyin Ma
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), 8092, Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Josep Ramoneda
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland
- Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - David R Johnson
- Department of Environmental Microbiology, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Eawag), 8600, Dübendorf, Switzerland.
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
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47
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Li M, Zhang H, Zhang W, Cao Y, Sun B, Jiang Q, Zhang Y, Liu H, Guo W, Chang C, Zhou N, Lv C, Guo C, Guo X, Shang J, Huang S, Zhu Y. One global disseminated 193 kb high-risk hybrid plasmid harboring tet(X4), mcr or bla NDM threatening public health. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162807. [PMID: 36921865 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
In Shanghai, the prevalence of tet(X4) and tet(X4)-carrying plasmid from food-producing -animal Enterobacteriales has not been intensively investigated. Here, five tet(X4)-positive swine-origin E. coli strains were characterized among 652 food-producing-animal E. coli isolates in Shanghai during 2018-2021 using long-term surveillance among poultry, swine and cattle, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and tet(X4)-specific PCR. A combination of short- and long-read sequencing technologies demonstrated that the five strains with 4 STs carried a nearly identical 193 kb tet(X4)-bearing plasmid (p193k-tetX4) belonging to the same IncFIA(HI1)/IncHI1A/IncHIB plasmid family (p193k). Surprisingly, 34 of the 151 global tet(X4)-positive plasmids was the p193k members and exclusively pandemic in China. Other p193k members harboring many critically important ARGs (mcr or blaNDM) with particular genetic environment are widespread throughout human-animal-environmental sources, with 33.77 % human origin. Significantly, phylogenetic analysis of 203 p193k-tetX4 sequences revealed that human- and animal-origin plasmids clustered within the same phylogenetic subgroups. The largest lineage (173/203) comprised 161 E. coli, 6 Klebsiella, 3 Enterobacter, 2 Citrobacter, and 1 Leclercia spp. from animals (n = 143), humans (n = 18), and the environment (n = 9). Intriguingly, the earliest 2015 E. coli strain YA_GR3 from Malaysian river water and 2016 S. enterica Chinese clinical strain GX1006 in another lineage demonstrated that p193k-tetX4 have been widely spread from S. enterica or E. coli to other Enterobacterales. Furthermore, 180 E. coli p193k-tetX4 strains were widespread cross-sectorial transmission among food animals, pets, migratory birds, human and ecosystems. Our findings proved the extensive transmission of the high-risk p193k harboring crucial ARGs across multiple interfaces and species. Therefore, one-health-based systemic surveillance of these similar high-risk plasmids across numerous sources and bacterial species is extremely essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, China
| | - Haoran Zhang
- Shanghai Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Shanghai Institute for Veterinary Drugs and Feeds Control, Shanghai 201103, China
| | - Wengang Zhang
- Shanghai Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Shanghai Institute for Veterinary Drugs and Feeds Control, Shanghai 201103, China
| | - Ying Cao
- Shanghai Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Shanghai Institute for Veterinary Drugs and Feeds Control, Shanghai 201103, China
| | - Bingqing Sun
- Shanghai Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Shanghai Institute for Veterinary Drugs and Feeds Control, Shanghai 201103, China
| | - Qin Jiang
- Shanghai Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Shanghai Institute for Veterinary Drugs and Feeds Control, Shanghai 201103, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Shanghai Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Shanghai Institute for Veterinary Drugs and Feeds Control, Shanghai 201103, China
| | - Haodong Liu
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, China
| | - WenNan Guo
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, China
| | - Cheng Chang
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, China
| | - Nan Zhou
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, China
| | - Chao Lv
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, China
| | - Chaoyi Guo
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, China
| | - Xiaokui Guo
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, China
| | - Jun Shang
- Shanghai Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Shanghai Institute for Veterinary Drugs and Feeds Control, Shanghai 201103, China.
| | - Shixin Huang
- Shanghai Center for Animal Disease Prevention and Control, Shanghai Institute for Veterinary Drugs and Feeds Control, Shanghai 201103, China.
| | - Yongzhang Zhu
- Department of Animal Health and Food Safety, School of Global Health, Chinese Center for Tropical Diseases Research, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, China; One Health Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University-The University of Edinburgh, China.
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48
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Diaz-Colunga J, Skwara A, Gowda K, Diaz-Uriarte R, Tikhonov M, Bajic D, Sanchez A. Global epistasis on fitness landscapes. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220053. [PMID: 37004717 PMCID: PMC10067270 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 04/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Epistatic interactions between mutations add substantial complexity to adaptive landscapes and are often thought of as detrimental to our ability to predict evolution. Yet, patterns of global epistasis, in which the fitness effect of a mutation is well-predicted by the fitness of its genetic background, may actually be of help in our efforts to reconstruct fitness landscapes and infer adaptive trajectories. Microscopic interactions between mutations, or inherent nonlinearities in the fitness landscape, may cause global epistasis patterns to emerge. In this brief review, we provide a succinct overview of recent work about global epistasis, with an emphasis on building intuition about why it is often observed. To this end, we reconcile simple geometric reasoning with recent mathematical analyses, using these to explain why different mutations in an empirical landscape may exhibit different global epistasis patterns-ranging from diminishing to increasing returns. Finally, we highlight open questions and research directions. This article is part of the theme issue 'Interdisciplinary approaches to predicting evolutionary biology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Diaz-Colunga
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Abigail Skwara
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Karna Gowda
- Department of Ecology & Evolution & Center for the Physics of Evolving Systems, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Ramon Diaz-Uriarte
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28029, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas ‘Alberto Sols’ (UAM-CSIC), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Mikhail Tikhonov
- Department of Physics, Washington University of St Louis, St Louis, MO 63130, USA
| | - Djordje Bajic
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Alvaro Sanchez
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Campus de Cantoblanco, CNB-CSIC, Madrid 28049, Spain
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49
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Rebelo JS, Domingues CPF, Nogueira T, Dionisio F. Plasmids Increase the Competitive Ability of Plasmid-Bearing Cells Even When Transconjugants Are Poor Donors, as Shown by Computer Simulations. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1238. [PMID: 37317212 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11051238] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacterial cells often suffer a fitness cost after conjugative plasmids' entry because these cells replicate slower than plasmid-free cells. Compensatory mutations may appear after tens of or a few hundred generations, reducing or eliminating this cost. A previous work based on a mathematical model and computer simulations has shown that plasmid-bearing cells already adapted to the plasmid may gain a fitness advantage when plasmids transfer into neighboring plasmid-free cells because these cells are still unadapted to the plasmid. These slow-growing transconjugants use fewer resources, which can benefit donor cells. However, opportunities for compensatory mutations in transconjugants increase if these cells become numerous (through replication or conjugation). Moreover, transconjugants also gain an advantage when transferring the plasmid, but the original donors may be too distant from conjugation events to gain an advantage. To understand which consequence prevails, we performed further computer simulations allowing versus banning transfer from transconjugants. The advantage to donors is higher if transconjugants do not transfer plasmids, mainly when donors are rare and when the plasmid transfer rate (from donors) is high. These results show that conjugative plasmids are efficient biological weapons even if the transconjugant cells are poor plasmid donors. After some time, conjugative plasmids gain other host-benefit genes, such as virulence and drug-resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- João S Rebelo
- cE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE, Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Célia P F Domingues
- cE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE, Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- INIAV-National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Teresa Nogueira
- cE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE, Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
- INIAV-National Institute for Agrarian and Veterinary Research, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Francisco Dionisio
- cE3c-Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE, Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisboa, Portugal
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Wedel E, Bernabe-Balas C, Ares-Arroyo M, Montero N, Santos-Lopez A, Mazel D, Gonzalez-Zorn B. Insertion Sequences Determine Plasmid Adaptation to New Bacterial Hosts. mBio 2023:e0315822. [PMID: 37097157 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03158-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmids facilitate the vertical and horizontal spread of antimicrobial resistance genes between bacteria. The host range and adaptation of plasmids to new hosts determine their impact on the spread of resistance. In this work, we explore the mechanisms driving plasmid adaptation to novel hosts in experimental evolution. Using the small multicopy plasmid pB1000, usually found in Pasteurellaceae, we studied its adaptation to a host from a different bacterial family, Escherichia coli. We observed two different mechanisms of adaptation. One mechanism is single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the origin of replication (oriV) of the plasmid, which increase the copy number in E. coli cells, elevating the stability, and resistance profile. The second mechanism consists of two insertion sequences (ISs), IS1 and IS10, which decrease the fitness cost of the plasmid by disrupting an uncharacterized gene on pB1000 that is harmful to E. coli. Both mechanisms increase the stability of pB1000 independently, but only their combination allows long-term maintenance. Crucially, we show that the mechanisms have a different impact on the host range of the plasmid. SNPs in oriV prevent the replication in the original host, resulting in a shift of the host range. In contrast, the introduction of ISs either shifts or expands the host range, depending on the IS. While IS1 leads to expansion, IS10 cannot be reintroduced into the original host. This study gives new insights into the relevance of ISs in plasmid-host adaptation to understand the success in spreading resistance. IMPORTANCE ColE1-like plasmids are small, mobilizable plasmids that can be found across at least four orders of Gammaproteobacteria and are strongly associated with antimicrobial resistance genes. Plasmid pB1000 carries the gene blaROB-1, conferring high-level resistance to penicillins and cefaclor. pB1000 has been described in various species of the family Pasteurellaceae, for example, in Haemophilus influenzae, which can cause diseases such as otitis media, meningitis, and pneumonia. To understand the resistance spread through horizontal transfer, it is essential to study the mechanisms of plasmid adaptation to novel hosts. In this work we identify that a gene from pB1000, which encodes a peptide that is toxic for E. coli, and the low plasmid copy number (PCN) of pB1000 in E. coli cells are essential targets in the described plasmid-host adaptation and therefore limit the spread of pB1000-encoded blaROB-1. Furthermore, we show how the interplay of two adaptation mechanisms leads to successful plasmid maintenance in a different bacterial family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Wedel
- Antimicrobial Resistance Unit (ARU), Facultad de Veterinaria and Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Bernabe-Balas
- Antimicrobial Resistance Unit (ARU), Facultad de Veterinaria and Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Ares-Arroyo
- Antimicrobial Resistance Unit (ARU), Facultad de Veterinaria and Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Natalia Montero
- Antimicrobial Resistance Unit (ARU), Facultad de Veterinaria and Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alfonso Santos-Lopez
- Antimicrobial Resistance Unit (ARU), Facultad de Veterinaria and Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Didier Mazel
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris Cité, CNRS UMR3525, Unité de Plasticité du Génome Bactérien, Département Génomes et Génétique, Paris, France
| | - Bruno Gonzalez-Zorn
- Antimicrobial Resistance Unit (ARU), Facultad de Veterinaria and Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET), Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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