Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jianzhong Ye, Lulu Jin, Yaling Li, Hao Xu, Yishuai Lin, Tieli Zhou, Beiwen Zheng, Maofeng Wang, Zhongyong Wang
Summary: This study reports the isolation and comparative genomics of two bla(NDM-5) carrying Citrobacter freundii isolates from a patient with multiple infections. The isolates exhibited a high level of genetic similarity and the bla(NDM-5) resistance gene could be horizontally transferred to Escherichia coli. The dissemination of NDM-5-producing C. freundii isolates should be closely monitored in clinical settings.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wesley Loftie-Eaton, Angela Crabtree, David Perry, Jack Millstein, Justin Baytosh, Thibault Stalder, Barrie D. Robison, Larry J. Forney, Eva M. Top
Summary: This study demonstrates that the success of plasmid-mediated antibiotic resistance spread in a gut microbiome depends on the donor-recipient species combinations and their spatial arrangement. It also suggests that rare gut microbiome members should not be ignored as potential reservoirs of multidrug resistance plasmids from food.
APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marion Hutinel, Jerker Fick, D. G. Joakim Larsson, Carl-Fredrik Flach
Summary: In this study, it was found that chemicals present in municipal wastewater did not induce horizontal gene transfer (HGT), while exposure to hospital wastewater led to an increase in the number of recipients acquiring sulfonamide resistance. Although concentrations were generally higher in hospital wastewater, none of the measured substances could individually explain its effects; the majority of captured mobile genetic elements were Inch plasmids.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Xia Xiao, Fuxin Zeng, Ruichao Li, Yuan Liu, Zhiqiang Wang
Summary: Horizontal gene transfer plays a significant role in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, and colistin has been found to increase cell membrane permeability and facilitate the dissemination of ARGs via plasmid conjugation. In this study, exposure to colistin was shown to significantly stimulate the conjugation frequency of different plasmids, and changes in cell membrane structure and gene expression were observed. These findings contribute to our understanding of the potential risks of colistin in antimicrobial resistance dissemination.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Rafael Pinilla-Redondo, Asmus Kalckar Olesen, Jakob Russel, Lisbeth Elvira de Vries, Lisbeth Damkjaer Christensen, Sanin Musovic, Joseph Nesme, Soren Johannes Sorensen
Summary: The study found that plasmids can transfer at high frequencies and across distantly related taxa within rapid sand filter communities, highlighting their potential suitability for introducing bioremediation determinants in microbiomes of water treatment plants.
Article
Microbiology
Qin Qi, Muhammad Kamruzzaman, Jonathan R. Iredell
Summary: In this study, a simplified experimental method is introduced for measuring the transfer frequency of conjugative plasmids between bacterial strains and species. A blue fluorescent protein gene is inserted into the conjugative plasmid of interest, and a small non-conjugative plasmid carrying a red fluorescent protein gene is used to label the recipient bacterial strain. The use of a strong constitutive promoter allows for clear distinction between donor, recipient, and transconjugant populations using flow cytometry, enabling precise monitoring of conjugation frequencies over time.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Adrian Alvarez-Molina, Elena Trigal, Miguel Prieto, Mercedes Lopez, Avelino Alvarez-Ordonez
Summary: Plasmids containing antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) are important for the horizontal transfer of resistance between bacteria. This study developed a conjugation procedure to monitor the transfer of a specific plasmid in different food chain-related scenarios. The results showed that temperature, pH, and the presence of certain biocidal agents can affect the conjugation rate. This procedure can be used to identify risk scenarios and develop strategies to combat antimicrobial resistance.
CURRENT RESEARCH IN FOOD SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Lucas G. Castellani, Abril Luchetti, Juliet F. Nilsson, Julieta Perez-Gimenez, Ben Struck, Andreas Schlueter, Alfred Puehler, Karsten Niehaus, David Romero, Mariano Pistorio, Gonzalo Torres Tejerizo
Summary: In this study, two uncharacterized proteins that play a key role in the conjugative transfer of rhizobial plasmids were discovered using bioinformatics tools and molecular biology approaches. These findings set up the basis for a new regulatory circuit of the plasmid transfer.
Article
Ecology
Richard J. Sheppard, Timothy G. Barraclough, Vincent A. A. Jansen
Summary: This study used evolutionary analysis to investigate the selective pressures affecting plasmid transfer rate, focusing on host versus plasmid control, the costs of plasmid transfer, and the role of recipient cells. The results showed that plasmid-determined transfer rates can be predicted with three parameters under certain conditions, and low-frequency genetic variation in transfer rate can accumulate, facilitating rapid adaptation to changing conditions. Additionally, reduced transfer rates due to host control have limited effects on plasmid prevalence until low enough to prevent plasmid persistence.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Ruben L. L. Sanchez-Nieves, Changyi Zhang, Rachel J. J. Whitaker
Summary: This study investigates a plasmid-mediated mechanism of gene transfer in Sulfolobus islandicus that leads to high frequency recombination within the chromosome. Through genomic analysis, the researchers establish the distribution of recombinant tracts and identify distal non-selected recombination events. This study reveals the molecular factors governing gene transfer and recombination in crenarchaea.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Janko Sattler, Tsvetan Tsvetkov, Yvonne Stelzer, Sina Schaefer, Julian Sommer, Janina Noster, Stephan Goettig, Axel Hamprecht
Summary: A new variant of Tn1999, Tn1999.7, was identified in OXA-48-producing bacterial isolates and showed increased plasmid stability, possibly contributing to the further spread of OXA-48.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Boris Parra, Gonzalo Tortella, Arnaud Dechesne, Miguel Martinez
Summary: The study found that bacterial cells exposed to copper were damaged but still able to transfer plasmids through conjugation, contributing to self-purifying processes in the environment. Additionally, the reduction in traK gene expression suggested that conjugation occurred between damaged donor cells and recipient cells.
INTERNATIONAL BIODETERIORATION & BIODEGRADATION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Isabelle Kempf, Laetitia Le Devendec, Pierrick Lucas, Celine Druilhe, Anne-Marie Pourcher
Summary: This study investigated the impact of mesophilic anaerobic digestion and post-treatment of digestates on the fate of conjugative plasmids and potential transfer of antimicrobial resistance. The results showed transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes in raw manure samples but not in digestates or post-digestates, indicating that mesophilic AD processes may reduce the production of potentially transferable conjugative plasmids.
Article
Food Science & Technology
Wei Li, Yanfei Yan, Jia Chen, Ruiwen Sun, Yuxuan Wang, Tingfen Wang, Zitian Feng, Kai Peng, Juan Wang, Sheng Chen, Yanping Luo, Ruichao Li, Baowei Yang
Summary: In China, mcr-1 gene was found in both foodborne and clinical strains of Escherichia coli and Salmonella, indicating successful transfer of colistin resistance between the two bacteria. Different types of plasmids (IncI2, IncX4, and IncHI2) were identified carrying the mcr-1 gene, suggesting horizontal transfer of mcr-1 gene cassette through conjugation between wild-type bacteria. Furthermore, a new mcr-1 gene cassette was discovered, providing evidence for co-transfer of mcr-1 with other antibiotic resistance genes.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaojing Yan, Wenwen Liu, Shengfang Wen, Lanjun Wang, Lusheng Zhu, Jun Wang, Young Mo Kim, Jinhua Wang
Summary: Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are a new type of environmental pollutant that pose a significant global health challenge. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is an important route for ARGs spread. The use of sulfamethazine (SM2) as a broad-spectrum bacteriostatic agent leads to high residual levels in the environment, increasing the spread of ARGs. This study found that SM2 at concentrations of 10 mg/L and 200 mg/L promoted the HGT of ARGs, but transfer frequency decreased at concentrations of 100 mg/L and 500 mg/L. The mechanism of SM2 improving conjugation transfer is through enhancement of conjugation gene and oxidative stress gene expression, inhibition of vertical transfer gene expression, up regulation of outer membrane protein gene expression, promotion of cell pore formation, and improvement of cell membrane permeability.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
(2023)
