Genetic variation in the conjugative plasmidome of a hospital effluent multidrug resistant Escherichia coli strain

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2019

Authors

Catarina Ferreira (Author) Other; Diana Bogas (Author) Other; Santosh K. Bikarolla (Author) Other; Ana Rita Varela (Author) Other; Karolin Frykholm (Author) Other; Raquel Linheiro (Author) Other; Olga C. Nunes (Author) FEUP; Fredrik Westerlund (Author) Other; Célia M. Manaia (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Chemosphere

Vol. 220

Pages: 748-759

ISSN: 0045-6535

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 1 Citation

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 6 Citations

Associated Projects

LEPABE - Laboratório de Engenharia de Processos, Ambiente, Biotecnologia e Energia

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00Q-808

DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.12.130

Abstract (EN): Bacteria harboring conjugative plasmids have the potential for spreading antibiotic resistance through horizontal gene transfer. It is described that the selection and dissemination of antibiotic resistance is enhanced by stressors, like metals or antibiotics, which can occur as environmental contaminants. This study aimed at unveiling the composition of the conjugative plasmidome of a hospital effluent multidrug resistant Escherichia coli strain (H1FC54) under different mating conditions. To meet this objective, plasmid pulsed field gel electrophoresis, optical mapping analyses and DNA sequencing were used in combination with phenotype analysis. Strain H1FC54 was observed to harbor five plasmids, three of which were conjugative and two of these, pH1FC54_330 and pH1FC54_140, contained metal and antibiotic resistance genes. Transconjugants obtained in the absence or presence of tellurite (0.5 mu M or 5 mu M), arsenite (0.5 mu M, 5 mu M or 15 mu M) or ceftazidime (10 mg/L) and selected in the presence of sodium azide (100 mg/L) and tetracycline (16 mg/L) presented distinct phenotypes, associated with the acquisition of different plasmid combinations, including two co-integrate plasmids, of 310 kbp and 517 kbp. The variable composition of the conjugative plasmidome, the formation of co-integrates during conjugation, as well as the transfer of non-transferable plasmids via co-integration, and the possible association between antibiotic, arsenite and tellurite tolerance was demonstrated. These evidences bring interesting insights into the comprehension of the molecular and physiological mechanisms that underlie antibiotic resistance propagation in the environment. (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 12