Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Tetracycline Promote Horizontal Transfer of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes via Plasmid-Mediated Conjugation
Haibo Zhou,
Zhaoxin Lu,
Xinmei Liu,
Xiaomei Bie,
Feng Xue,
Sijie Tang,
Qiushi Feng,
Yiyu Cheng,
Jun Yang
Affiliations
Haibo Zhou
College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Zhaoxin Lu
College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Xinmei Liu
Key Laboratory of Detection and Traceability Technology of Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria for Jiangsu Province Market Regulation, Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Nanjing 211198, China
Xiaomei Bie
College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Feng Xue
MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China
Sijie Tang
Key Laboratory of Detection and Traceability Technology of Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria for Jiangsu Province Market Regulation, Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Nanjing 211198, China
Qiushi Feng
Key Laboratory of Detection and Traceability Technology of Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria for Jiangsu Province Market Regulation, Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Nanjing 211198, China
Yiyu Cheng
Key Laboratory of Detection and Traceability Technology of Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria for Jiangsu Province Market Regulation, Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Nanjing 211198, China
Jun Yang
Key Laboratory of Detection and Traceability Technology of Foodborne Pathogenic Bacteria for Jiangsu Province Market Regulation, Nanjing Institute for Food and Drug Control, Nanjing 211198, China
The ubiquitous presence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) constitutes a major threat to global public safety. Tetracycline (TET) is a common antimicrobial agent that inhibits bacterial growth and is frequently detected in aquatic environments. Although TET may display coselection for resistance, limited knowledge is available on whether and how it might influence plasmid-mediated conjugation. Subinhibitory concentrations (3.9–250 ng/mL) of TET promoted horizontal gene transfer (HGT) via the mobilizable plasmid pVP52-1 from the donor Vibrio parahaemolyticus NJIFDCVp52 to the recipient Escherichia coli EC600 by 1.47- to 3.19-fold. The transcription levels of tetracycline resistance genes [tetA, tetR(A)], conjugation-related genes (traA, traD), outer membrane protein genes (ompA, ompK, ompV), reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related genes (oxyR, rpoS), autoinducer-2 (AI-2) synthesis gene (luxS), and SOS-related genes (lexA, recA) in the donor and recipient were significantly increased. Furthermore, the overproduced intracellular ROS generation and increased cell membrane permeability under TET exposure stimulated the conjugative transfer of ARGs. Overall, this study provides important insights into the contributions of TET to the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
