1
|
Yu Z, Wang Q, Pinilla-Redondo R, Madsen JS, Clasen KAD, Ananbeh H, Olesen AK, Gong Z, Yang N, Dechesne A, Smets B, Nesme J, Sørensen SJ. Horizontal transmission of a multidrug-resistant IncN plasmid isolated from urban wastewater. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2024; 271:115971. [PMID: 38237397 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.115971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are considered reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Given that plasmid-mediated horizontal gene transfer plays a critical role in disseminating ARGs in the environment, it is important to inspect the transfer potential of transmissible plasmids to have a better understanding of whether these mobile ARGs can be hosted by opportunistic pathogens and should be included in One Health's considerations. In this study, we used a fluorescent-reporter-gene based exogenous isolation approach to capture extended-spectrum beta-lactamases encoding mobile determinants from sewer microbiome samples that enter an urban water system (UWS) in Denmark. After screening and sequencing, we isolated a ∼73 Kbp IncN plasmid (pDK_DARWIN) that harboured and expressed multiple ARGs. Using a dual fluorescent reporter gene system, we showed that this plasmid can transfer into resident urban water communities. We demonstrated the transfer of pDK_DARWIN to microbiome members of both the sewer (in the upstream UWS compartment) and wastewater treatment (in the downstream UWS compartment) microbiomes. Sequence similarity search across curated plasmid repositories revealed that pDK_DARWIN derives from an IncN backbone harboured by environmental and nosocomial Enterobacterial isolates. Furthermore, we searched for pDK_DARWIN sequence matches in UWS metagenomes from three countries, revealing that this plasmid can be detected in all of them, with a higher relative abundance in hospital sewers compared to residential sewers. Overall, this study demonstrates that this IncN plasmid is prevalent across Europe and an efficient vector capable of disseminating multiple ARGs in the urban water systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhuofeng Yu
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Qinqin Wang
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rafael Pinilla-Redondo
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas Stenløkke Madsen
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kamille Anna Dam Clasen
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hanadi Ananbeh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 1, CZ-613 00 Brno, Czech Republic; Central European Institute of Technology, Brno University of Technology, Purkynova 123, CZ-612 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Asmus Kalckar Olesen
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Zhuang Gong
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Nan Yang
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Arnaud Dechesne
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, DK-2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Barth Smets
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Bygningstorvet 115, DK-2800 Kgs, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Joseph Nesme
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Søren Johannes Sørensen
- Section of Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
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.
Collapse
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.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hamilton T, Joris BR, Shrestha A, Browne TS, Rodrigue S, Karas BJ, Gloor GB, Edgell DR. De Novo Synthesis of a Conjugative System from Human Gut Metagenomic Data for Targeted Delivery of Cas9 Antimicrobials. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:3578-3590. [PMID: 38049144 PMCID: PMC10729033 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Metagenomic sequences represent an untapped source of genetic novelty, particularly for conjugative systems that could be used for plasmid-based delivery of Cas9-derived antimicrobial agents. However, unlocking the functional potential of conjugative systems purely from metagenomic sequences requires the identification of suitable candidate systems as starting scaffolds for de novo DNA synthesis. Here, we developed a bioinformatics approach that searches through the metagenomic "trash bin" for genes associated with conjugative systems present on contigs that are typically excluded from common metagenomic analysis pipelines. Using a human metagenomic gut data set representing 2805 taxonomically distinct units, we identified 1598 contigs containing conjugation genes with a differential distribution in human cohorts. We synthesized de novo an entire Citrobacter spp. conjugative system of 54 kb containing at least 47 genes and assembled it into a plasmid, pCitro. We found that pCitro conjugates from Escherichia coli to Citrobacter rodentium with a 30-fold higher frequency than to E. coli, and is compatible with Citrobacter resident plasmids. Mutations in the traV and traY conjugation components of pCitro inhibited conjugation. We showed that pCitro can be repurposed as an antimicrobial delivery agent by programming it with the TevCas9 nuclease and Citrobacter-specific sgRNAs to kill C. rodentium. Our study reveals a trove of uncharacterized conjugative systems in metagenomic data and describes an experimental framework to animate these large genetic systems as novel target-adapted delivery vectors for Cas9-based editing of bacterial genomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas
A. Hamilton
- Department
of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London N6A 5C1, ON, Canada
| | - Benjamin R. Joris
- Department
of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London N6A 5C1, ON, Canada
| | - Arina Shrestha
- Department
of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London N6A 5C1, ON, Canada
| | - Tyler S. Browne
- Department
of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London N6A 5C1, ON, Canada
| | - Sébastien Rodrigue
- Départment
de Biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke J1K 2R1, QC, Canada
| | - Bogumil J. Karas
- Department
of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London N6A 5C1, ON, Canada
| | - Gregory B. Gloor
- Department
of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London N6A 5C1, ON, Canada
| | - David R. Edgell
- Department
of Biochemistry, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London N6A 5C1, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Loret S, Habib B, Romain P, Roba A, Reboul A. Prevention of horizontal transfer of laboratory plasmids to environmental bacteria: comparison of the effectiveness of a few disinfection approaches to degrade DNA. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:89369-89380. [PMID: 37450185 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-28733-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
The routine work of any molecular biology laboratory includes the daily use of microorganisms, including strains of E. coli, transformed with a variety of plasmids expressing at least one antibiotic resistance gene (ARG). Therefore, to avoid the accidental release of ARGs into environmental water, methods for disinfection of liquid laboratory waste must be effective in destroying nucleic acids. In support of this recommendation, the origin of replication of Enterobacteriaceae plasmids has been detected in strains of non-Enterobacteriaceae bacteria isolated from wastewater from laboratories and research institutes, suggesting that interspecific transfer of laboratory plasmids had occurred. Using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we determined the decimal reduction value (D value, expressed as concentration of disinfectant or length of physical treatment) of several decontamination methods for their DNA degradation effect on cultures of E. coli Top10 transformed with a kanamycin resistant plasmid (pET28A + or pEGFP-C2). The estimated D values were 0.7 M for sulfuric acid, 6.3% for a commercial P3 disinfectant, 25 min for steam sterilization at 121 °C, and 49 min for disinfection by UVC. A 20-min treatment of bacteria cultures with a final concentration of 1-10% sodium hypochlorite was found to be ineffective in completely destroying a bacteria plasmid gene marker (coding for the pBR322 origin of replication). Residual DNA from NaClO-treated cells was 60%, while it decreased under 10% using the commercial disinfectant P3 diluted at 5%. As the degradation was incomplete in both cases, we recommend avoiding discharge of disinfected liquid waste to wastewater (even after chemical neutralization) without additional plasmid destruction treatment, to prevent horizontal transfer of laboratory ARGs to environmental bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne Loret
- Health and Safety Department, Namur Research Institute for Life Science (NARILIS), University of Namur (UNamur), Biosafety Office, Rue de Bruxelles 61, B 5000, Namur, Belgium.
| | - Boutaina Habib
- Science Faculty, University Mohammed V, Avenue Ibn Batouta, BP 1014, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Pierre Romain
- Research Unit in Biology of Microorganisms (URBM), Namur Research Institute for Life Science (NARILIS), University of Namur (UNamur), Rue de Bruxelles 61, B 5000 , Namur, Belgium
| | - Agnès Roba
- Research Unit in Biology of Microorganisms (URBM), Namur Research Institute for Life Science (NARILIS), University of Namur (UNamur), Rue de Bruxelles 61, B 5000 , Namur, Belgium
| | - Angéline Reboul
- Research Unit in Biology of Microorganisms (URBM), Namur Research Institute for Life Science (NARILIS), University of Namur (UNamur), Rue de Bruxelles 61, B 5000 , Namur, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sánchez-Salazar AM, Taparia T, Olesen AK, Acuña JJ, Sørensen SJ, Jorquera MA. An overview of plasmid transfer in the plant microbiome. Plasmid 2023; 127:102695. [PMID: 37295540 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2023.102695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Plant microbiomes are pivotal for healthy plant physiological development. Microbes live in complex co-association with plant hosts, and interactions within these microbial communities vary with plant genotype, plant compartment, phenological stage, and soil properties, among others. Plant microbiomes also harbor a substantial and diverse pool of mobile genes encoded on plasmids. Several plasmid functions attributed to plant-associated bacteria are relatively poorly understood. Additionally, the role of plasmids in disseminating genetic traits within plant compartments is not well known. Here, we present the current knowledge on the occurrence, diversity, function, and transfer of plasmids in plant microbiomes, emphasizing the factors that could modulate gene transfer in-planta. We also describe the role of the plant microbiome as a plasmid reservoir and the dissemination of its genetic material. We include a brief discussion on the current methodological limitations in studying plasmid transfer within plant microbiomes. This information could be useful to elucidate the dynamics of the bacterial gene pools, the adaptations different organisms have made, and variations in bacterial populations that might have never been described before, particularly in complex microbial communities associated with plants in natural and anthropogenic impacted environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angela M Sánchez-Salazar
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias de Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencia, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar, 01145 Temuco, Chile; Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Aplicada, Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar, 01145 Temuco, Chile
| | - Tanvi Taparia
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15 Bldg 1, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Asmus K Olesen
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15 Bldg 1, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jacquelinne J Acuña
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Aplicada, Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar, 01145 Temuco, Chile; The Network for Extreme Environment Research (NEXER), Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar, 01145 Temuco, Chile
| | - Søren J Sørensen
- Section for Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15 Bldg 1, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Milko A Jorquera
- Laboratorio de Ecología Microbiana Aplicada, Departamento de Ciencias Químicas y Recursos Naturales, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar, 01145 Temuco, Chile; The Network for Extreme Environment Research (NEXER), Scientific and Technological Bioresource Nucleus, Universidad de La Frontera, Av. Francisco Salazar, 01145 Temuco, Chile.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang Q, Olesen AK, Maccario L, Madsen JS. An easily modifiable conjugative plasmid for studying horizontal gene transfer. Plasmid 2022; 123-124:102649. [PMID: 36100085 DOI: 10.1016/j.plasmid.2022.102649] [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: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Horizontal gene transfer is an important mechanism in bacterial evolution and can occur at striking frequencies when mediated by mobile genetic elements. Conjugative plasmids are mobile genetic elements that are main drivers of horizontal transfer and a major facilitator in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes. However, conjugative plasmid models that readily can be genetically modified with the aim to study horizontal transfer are not currently available. The aim of this study was to develop a conjugative plasmid model where the insertion of gene cassettes such as reporter genes (e.g., fluorescent proteins) or antibiotic resistance genes would be efficient and convenient. Here, we introduced a single attTn7 site into the conjugative broad-host-range IncP-1 plasmid pKJK5 in a non-disruptive manner. Furthermore, a version with lower transfer rate and a non-conjugative version of pKJK5-attTn7 were also constructed. The advantage of having the attTn7 sites is that genes of interest can be introduced in a single step with very high success rate using the Tn7 transposition system. In addition, larger genetic fragments can be inserted. To illustrate the efficacy of the constructed pKJK5 plasmids, they were complemented with sfGFP (a gene encoding superfolder green fluorescent protein) in addition to seven different β-lactamase genes representing the four known classes of β-lactamases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qinqin Wang
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Asmus Kalckar Olesen
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lorrie Maccario
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonas Stenløkke Madsen
- Section of Microbiology, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Kosterlitz O, Muñiz Tirado A, Wate C, Elg C, Bozic I, Top EM, Kerr B. Estimating the transfer rates of bacterial plasmids with an adapted Luria–Delbrück fluctuation analysis. PLoS Biol 2022; 20:e3001732. [PMID: 35877684 PMCID: PMC9352209 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3001732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
To increase our basic understanding of the ecology and evolution of conjugative plasmids, we need reliable estimates of their rate of transfer between bacterial cells. Current assays to measure transfer rate are based on deterministic modeling frameworks. However, some cell numbers in these assays can be very small, making estimates that rely on these numbers prone to noise. Here, we take a different approach to estimate plasmid transfer rate, which explicitly embraces this noise. Inspired by the classic fluctuation analysis of Luria and Delbrück, our method is grounded in a stochastic modeling framework. In addition to capturing the random nature of plasmid conjugation, our new methodology, the Luria–Delbrück method (“LDM”), can be used on a diverse set of bacterial systems, including cases for which current approaches are inaccurate. A notable example involves plasmid transfer between different strains or species where the rate that one type of cell donates the plasmid is not equal to the rate at which the other cell type donates. Asymmetry in these rates has the potential to bias or constrain current transfer estimates, thereby limiting our capabilities for estimating transfer in microbial communities. In contrast, the LDM overcomes obstacles of traditional methods by avoiding restrictive assumptions about growth and transfer rates for each population within the assay. Using stochastic simulations and experiments, we show that the LDM has high accuracy and precision for estimation of transfer rates compared to the most widely used methods, which can produce estimates that differ from the LDM estimate by orders of magnitude. Plasmid transfer can often spread resistance between important clinical pathogens. This study shows that widely used methods can lead to biased estimates of plasmid transfer rate by several orders of magnitude, and presents a new approach, inspired by the classic Luria-Delbrück approach, for accurately assessing this fundamental rate parameter
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Kosterlitz
- Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail: (OK); (BK)
| | - Adamaris Muñiz Tirado
- Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Claire Wate
- Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Clint Elg
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Ivana Bozic
- Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Eva M. Top
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Biological Sciences and Institute for Interdisciplinary Data Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, United States of America
| | - Benjamin Kerr
- Biology Department, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail: (OK); (BK)
| |
Collapse
|