Article
Genetics & Heredity
Timothy M. Ghaly, Anahit Penesyan, Alexander Pritchard, Qin Qi, Vaheesan Rajabal, Sasha G. Tetu, Michael R. Gillings
Summary: Integrons are genetic elements in microbes that can spread gene cassettes. They are mainly known for spreading antibiotic resistance cassettes among human pathogens. However, gene cassettes encode a wide range of functions important for bacterial adaptation. This study presents reproducible methods for amplifying, processing, and validating gene cassette amplicons from complex communities. The methods can consistently recover thousands of unique cassettes per sample and up to hundreds of different integron integrases. The recovered cassettes confer various functions, including antibiotic resistance.
MICROBIAL GENOMICS
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Hanan A. Al-Sarawi, Nazima Habibi, Saif Uddin, Awadhesh N. Jha, Mohammed A. Al-Sarawi, Brett P. Lyons
Summary: In this study, the prevalence of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in Escherichia coli isolated from mollusks and coastal water samples in Kuwait's marine environment was investigated using a genome-based approach. The study also examined the plasmids and integron genes associated with the spread of ARGs. The findings revealed the presence of various genes conferring resistance to different classes of antibiotics, including those commonly found in E. coli plasmids. Additionally, a significant correlation was observed between integron genes and antibiotic resistance. These results are valuable for monitoring horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance in Kuwait's marine environments.
Article
Ecology
David Kneis, Claudele Lemay-St-Denis, Stella Cellier-Goetghebeur, Alan X. Elena, Thomas U. Berendonk, Joelle N. Pelletier, Stefanie Hess
Summary: In this study, shotgun metagenomics was used to estimate the abundance of dfrB gene variants in aquatic environments. The results showed that dfrB1, dfrB2, dfrB3, dfrB4, dfrB5, and dfrB7 were more prevalent in wastewater microbiomes, while dfrB9, dfrB10, and dfrB13 were more prevalent in freshwater. This suggests that natural freshwater communities serve as a major reservoir for the recently discovered dfrB gene variants.
Article
Microbiology
Niyaz Ali, Yinfu Lin, Ligeng Jiang, Izhar Ali, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Kashif Akhtar, Bing He, Ronghui Wen
Summary: This study investigated the impact of biochar, manure, and their combination on integrons, gene cassettes, and antimicrobial resistance in paddy soil. The results showed that manure increased the abundance and diversity of integrons and antimicrobial resistance, while biochar reduced them.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Cai-Xia Zhao, Xiao-Xuan Su, Mei-Rong Xu, Xin-Li An, Jian-Qiang Su
Summary: The study found integrons associated with antibiotic resistance genes in raw vegetables; cucumber and cabbage had the highest abundance of integron genes; 32 different resistance gene cassettes were detected in the integrons, with most being related to resistance to beta-lactam and aminoglycoside; carrot endophytes had the highest proportion of antibiotic resistance gene cassettes in class 1 integrons.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Wei Yuan, Yongli Zhang, Luqman Riaz, Qingxiang Yang, Bingbing Du, Ruifei Wang
Summary: The study found that antibiotic resistant bacteria of Enterobacteriaceae are prevalent in various environments, with a high percentage showing multidrug resistance. There is a diverse range of /9-lactamase genes in Enterobacteriaceae from different sources. Hospital and livestock manure isolates of Enterobacteriaceae exhibit a greater variety of gene cassettes.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xin-Li An, Olusegun K. Abass, Cai-Xia Zhao, Mei-Rong Xu, Ting Pan, Qiang Pu, Hu Liao, Hu Li, Yong-Guan Zhu, Jian-Qiang Su
Summary: The study revealed that class 1 integron integrase genes were most abundant in manured soils and sewages, and long-term manure application exacerbated the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes and integrase genes. Antibiotics and heavy metals showed no impact on the resistome profile. Sewage treatment efficiently removed integrase genes and antibiotic resistance gene cassettes, with some persistent ARGs in soils and sewages even after treatment. This study highlights that soil and sewage serve as potential reservoirs for integron-mediated transfer of ARGs, with anthropogenic activity playing a crucial role in the prevalence and diversity of resistance gene cassettes in integrons.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Basharat Ahmad Bhat, Rakeeb Ahmad Mir, Hafsa Qadri, Rohan Dhiman, Abdullah Almilaibary, Mustfa Alkhanani, Manzoor Ahmad Mir
Summary: Antibiotic resistance development and pathogen cross-dissemination are major risks to human health globally. Integrons play a central role in the transfer and assembly of antimicrobial resistance genes in bacteria, and are considered a dangerous reservoir of resistance determinants. Class 1 integrons, in particular, are frequently associated with antimicrobial resistance in humans and are potential targets for therapeutics. Studying integrons can provide valuable insights into resistance and pathogenicity.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Microbiology
Scott Mitchell, Michelle Bull, Gary Muscatello, Belinda Chapman, Nicholas V. Coleman
Summary: Antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens is a growing concern, requiring a One Health approach. The equine hindgut may serve as a significant reservoir of ARGs and MGEs, warranting increased attention and strategies to minimize selection for resistance genes in horses to prevent their spread to the wider community.
CRITICAL REVIEWS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Darya Bychenko Banyas, Mor Lurie-Weinberger, Reut Efrati Epchtien, Sivan Laviad Shitrit, Elizabeth Temkin, David Schwartz, Alona Keren-Paz, Yehuda Carmeli
Summary: This study reports the first isolation of bla(VCC-1)-carrying Aeromonas caviae from a clinical sample in Israel. The isolate showed resistance to all beta-lactam agents, including carbapenems, and the bla(VCC-1) gene was located on a large plasmid. The origin of the bla(VCC-1) gene was found to be an unknown progenitor, different from Aeromonas and Vibrio spp.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Christopher J. Harmer, Francois Lebreton, Jason Stam, Patrick T. McGann, Ruth M. Hall
Summary: This study reveals the direct involvement of IS26 in the amplification of the aphA1 gene and shows that amplification of the aphA1 gene can lead to resistance to tobramycin. This has important implications for understanding the mechanism of heteroresistance and treatment failure.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Olivier Barraud, Lucie Laval, Laetitia Le Devendec, Emeline Larvor, Claire Chauvin, Eric Jouy, Sophie Le Bouquin, Yann Vanrobaeys, Benoit Thuillier, Brigitte Lamy, Sandrine Baron
Summary: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health issue that needs to be addressed using a One Health approach. Fish farming provides an appealing model to study the effects of antibiotic exposure on the rise of AMR. Aeromonas and integrons are proposed as consistent biomarkers of AMR and anthropic pollution in the environment.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wenwen Zhu, Tong Wang, Yu Zhu, Linlin Xiao, Weiwei Liu, Quhao Wei
Summary: Integrons are important genetic elements in spreading antibiotic resistance genes, and a 2D-PCR technology has been developed to detect three major integrons simultaneously with low detection limits. This rapid, economic, and high-throughput method is suitable for large-scale integron screening and typing in clinical isolates.
Article
Fisheries
Bo Ling, Wei Feng, Nuo Yang, Lixia Fan, Guiying Guo, Xuesong Li, Jifeng Zeng, Jiping Zheng
Summary: This study revealed the high prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains of Aeromonas in bullfrog aquaculture, with Class 1 integrons containing multiple gene cassettes encoding resistance to various antibiotics. Three novel intI1 gene cassettes or arrays were also identified.
Article
Microbiology
Celia Souque, Jose A. Escudero, R. Craig MacLean
Summary: Integrons can accelerate the evolution of antibiotic resistance by reshuffling resistance cassettes, but the flexibility of integrons also leads to potential off-target effects on the genome, which can have important evolutionary consequences.
Article
Immunology
Kelly R. Reveles, Kierra M. Dotson, Anne Gonzales-Luna, Dhara Surati, Bradley T. Endres, M. Jahangir Alam, Kevin W. Garey
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2019)
Article
Microbiology
Amelia K. Sofjan, Mohammad Aminul Islam, Kakali Halder, Nayel D. Kabir, Ahmed Abu Saleh, Julie Miranda, Chris Lancaster, Khurshida Begum, M. Jahangir Alam, Kevin W. Garey
Article
Microbiology
M. Jahangir Alam, Jacob McPherson, Julie Miranda, Allyson Thrall, Van Ngo, Rebecca Kessinger, Khurshida Begum, Maud Marin, Kevin W. Garey
Article
Microbiology
Tasnuva Rashid, Farnoosh Haghighi, Irtiza Hasan, Eugenie Basseres, M. Jahangir Alam, Shreela Sharma, Dejian Lai, Herbert L. DuPont, Kevin W. Garey
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2020)
Article
Immunology
Anne J. Gonzales-Luna, Travis J. Carlson, Kierra M. Dotson, Kelley Poblete, Gabriela Costa, Julie Miranda, Chris Lancaster, Seth T. Walk, Shawn Tupy, Khurshida Begum, M. Jahangir Alam, Kevin W. Garey
EMERGING MICROBES & INFECTIONS
(2020)
Article
Immunology
Travis J. Carlson, Bradley T. Endres, Julie Le Pham, Anne J. Gonzales-Luna, Faris S. Alnezary, Kimberly Nebo, Julie Miranda, Chris Lancaster, Eugenie Basseres, Khurshida Begum, M. Jahangir Alam, Kelly R. Reveles, Kevin W. Garey
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Khurshida Begum, Eugenie Basseres, Julie Miranda, Chris Lancaster, Anne J. Gonzales-Luna, Travis J. Carlson, Tasnuva Rashid, David W. Eyre, Mark H. Wilcox, M. Jahangir Alam, Kevin W. Garey
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2020)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Eugenie Basseres, Khurshida Begum, Chris Lancaster, Anne J. Gonzales-Luna, Travis J. Carlson, Julie Miranda, Tasnuva Rashid, M. Jahangir Alam, David W. Eyre, Mark H. Wilcox, Kevin W. Garey
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2020)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Kevin W. Garey, Khurshida Begum, Chris Lancaster, Anne Gonzales-Luna, Dinh Bui, Julie Mercier, Corinne Seng Yue, Murray P. Ducharme, Ming Hu, Bradley Vince, Michael H. Silverman, M. Jahangir Alam, Martin Kankam
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2020)
Article
Immunology
Travis J. Carlson, Anne J. Gonzales-Luna, Kimberly Nebo, Hannah Y. Chan, Ngoc-Linh T. Tran, Sheena Antony, Chris Lancaster, M. Jahangir Alam, Khurshida Begum, Kevin W. Garey
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2020)
Article
Microbiology
Eugenie Basseres, Bradley T. Endres, Nicolas Montes-Bravo, Nicolas Perez-Soto, Tasnuva Rashid, Christopher Lancaster, Khurshida Begum, M. Jahangir Alam, Daniel Paredes-Sabja, Kevin W. Garey
Summary: This study visualized the direct attachment of fidaxomicin to C. difficile spores and found that this attachment was diminished with mutants of specific exosporium and spore coat proteins. These findings provide advanced insights into the anti-spore properties of fidaxomicin.
Article
Microbiology
Anne J. Gonzales-Luna, Jennifer K. Spinler, Numan Oezguen, Md Abdul Wadud Khan, Heather A. Danhof, Bradley T. Endres, M. Jahangir Alam, Khurshida Begum, Chris Lancaster, Gabriela P. D. Costa, Tor C. Savidge, Julian G. Hurdle, Robert Britton, Kevin W. Garey
Summary: This study evaluated a patient with four failed FMTs, finding differences in the microbiome after antibiotic therapy and FMT failures. A SNP variant related to metabolic shifts was identified in the final isolated strain, highlighting the impact of continued antibiotic use on transplanted microbiomes.
Article
Immunology
Anne J. Gonzales-Luna, Abiola O. Olaitan, Wan-Jou Shen, Aditi Deshpande, Travis J. Carlson, Kierra M. Dotson, Chris Lancaster, Khurshida Begum, M. Jahangir Alam, Julian G. Hurdle, Kevin W. Garey
Summary: A newly identified heme-inducible reduced MTZ susceptibility in C. difficile led to higher odds of initial clinical failure in patients with CDI treated with MTZ according to a multicenter cohort study. An MTZ MIC >= 1 mu g/mL was an independent predictor of initial clinical failure in patients receiving an MTZ-based treatment regimen.
OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Masaad Saeed Almutairi, Anne J. Gonzales-Luna, Faris S. Alnezary, Saad B. Fallatah, M. Jahangir Alam, Khurshida Begum, Kevin W. Garey
Summary: This study found that Clostridioides difficile RT 106 was associated with higher rates of poor clinical outcomes compared to RT 014-020 and similar poor clinical outcomes to RT 027. These findings help to better understand the clinical significance of this and future emerging ribotypes.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nur Nashyiroh Mastor, Vijay Kumar Subbiah, Wan Nazirah Wan Abu Bakar, Khurshida Begum, M. Jahangir Alam, Mohammad Zahirul Hoque