# | Rank | Similarity | Title + Abs. | Year | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 3782 | 0 | 1.0000 | CRISPR spacers acquired from plasmids primarily target backbone genes, making them valuable for predicting potential hosts and host range. In recent years, there has been a surge in metagenomic studies focused on identifying plasmids in environmental samples. Although these studies have unearthed numerous novel plasmids, enriching our understanding of their environmental roles, a significant gap remains: the scarcity of information regarding the bacterial hosts of these newly discovered plasmids. Furthermore, even when plasmids are identified within bacterial isolates, the reported host is typically limited to the original isolate, with no insights into alternative hosts or the plasmid's potential host range. Given that plasmids depend on hosts for their existence, investigating plasmids without the knowledge of potential hosts offers only a partial perspective. This study introduces a method for identifying potential hosts and host ranges for plasmids through alignment with CRISPR spacers. To validate the method, we compared the PLSDB plasmids database with the CRISPR spacers database, yielding host predictions for 46% of the plasmids. When compared with reported hosts, our predictions achieved 84% concordance at the family level and 99% concordance at the phylum level. Moreover, the method frequently identified multiple potential hosts for a plasmid, thereby enabling predictions of alternative hosts and the host range. Notably, we found that CRISPR spacers predominantly target plasmid backbone genes while sparing functional genes, such as those linked to antibiotic resistance, aligning with our hypothesis that CRISPR spacers are acquired from plasmid-specific regions rather than insertion elements from diverse sources. Finally, we illustrate the network of connections among different bacterial taxa through plasmids, revealing potential pathways for horizontal gene transfer.IMPORTANCEPlasmids are notorious for their role in distributing antibiotic resistance genes, but they may also carry and distribute other environmentally important genes. Since plasmids are not free-living entities and rely on host bacteria for survival and propagation, predicting their hosts is essential. This study presents a method for predicting potential hosts for plasmids and offers insights into the potential paths for spreading functional genes between different bacteria. Understanding plasmid-host relationships is crucial for comprehending the ecological and clinical impact of plasmids and implications for various biological processes. | 2024 | 39508585 |
| 9650 | 1 | 0.9999 | Plasmid-Encoded Traits Vary across Environments. Plasmids are key mobile genetic elements in bacterial evolution and ecology as they allow the rapid adaptation of bacteria under selective environmental changes. However, the genetic information associated with plasmids is usually considered separately from information about their environmental origin. To broadly understand what kinds of traits may become mobilized by plasmids in different environments, we analyzed the properties and accessory traits of 9,725 unique plasmid sequences from a publicly available database with known bacterial hosts and isolation sources. Although most plasmid research focuses on resistance traits, such genes made up <1% of the total genetic information carried by plasmids. Similar to traits encoded on the bacterial chromosome, plasmid accessory trait compositions (including general Clusters of Orthologous Genes [COG] functions, resistance genes, and carbon and nitrogen genes) varied across seven broadly defined environment types (human, animal, wastewater, plant, soil, marine, and freshwater). Despite their potential for horizontal gene transfer, plasmid traits strongly varied with their host's taxonomic assignment. However, the trait differences across environments of broad COG categories could not be entirely explained by plasmid host taxonomy, suggesting that environmental selection acts on the plasmid traits themselves. Finally, some plasmid traits and environments (e.g., resistance genes in human-related environments) were more often associated with mobilizable plasmids (those having at least one detected relaxase) than others. Overall, these findings underscore the high level of diversity of traits encoded by plasmids and provide a baseline to investigate the potential of plasmids to serve as reservoirs of adaptive traits for microbial communities. IMPORTANCE Plasmids are well known for their role in the transmission of antibiotic resistance-conferring genes. Beyond human and clinical settings, however, they disseminate many other types of genes, including those that contribute to microbially driven ecosystem processes. In this study, we identified the distribution of traits genetically encoded by plasmids isolated from seven broadly categorized environments. We find that plasmid trait content varied with both bacterial host taxonomy and environment and that, on average, half of the plasmids were potentially mobilizable. As anthropogenic activities impact ecosystems and the climate, investigating and identifying the mechanisms of how microbial communities can adapt will be imperative for predicting the impacts on ecosystem functioning. | 2023 | 36629415 |
| 3783 | 2 | 0.9999 | Ecology drives a global network of gene exchange connecting the human microbiome. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT), the acquisition of genetic material from non-parental lineages, is known to be important in bacterial evolution. In particular, HGT provides rapid access to genetic innovations, allowing traits such as virulence, antibiotic resistance and xenobiotic metabolism to spread through the human microbiome. Recent anecdotal studies providing snapshots of active gene flow on the human body have highlighted the need to determine the frequency of such recent transfers and the forces that govern these events. Here we report the discovery and characterization of a vast, human-associated network of gene exchange, large enough to directly compare the principal forces shaping HGT. We show that this network of 10,770 unique, recently transferred (more than 99% nucleotide identity) genes found in 2,235 full bacterial genomes, is shaped principally by ecology rather than geography or phylogeny, with most gene exchange occurring between isolates from ecologically similar, but geographically separated, environments. For example, we observe 25-fold more HGT between human-associated bacteria than among ecologically diverse non-human isolates (P = 3.0 × 10(-270)). We show that within the human microbiome this ecological architecture continues across multiple spatial scales, functional classes and ecological niches with transfer further enriched among bacteria that inhabit the same body site, have the same oxygen tolerance or have the same ability to cause disease. This structure offers a window into the molecular traits that define ecological niches, insight that we use to uncover sources of antibiotic resistance and identify genes associated with the pathology of meningitis and other diseases. | 2011 | 22037308 |
| 9649 | 3 | 0.9999 | Bacteria of the order Burkholderiales are original environmental hosts of type II trimethoprim resistance genes (dfrB). It is consensus that clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes have their origin in environmental bacteria, including the large pool of primarily benign species. Yet, for the vast majority of acquired antibiotic resistance genes, the original environmental host(s) has not been identified to date. Closing this knowledge gap could improve our understanding of how antimicrobial resistance proliferates in the bacterial domain and shed light on the crucial step of initial resistance gene mobilization in particular. Here, we combine information from publicly available long- and short-read environmental metagenomes as well as whole-genome sequences to identify the original environmental hosts of dfrB, a family of genes conferring resistance to trimethoprim. Although this gene family stands in the shadow of the more widespread, structurally different dfrA, it has recently gained attention through the discovery of several new members. Based on the genetic context of dfrB observed in long-read metagenomes, we predicted bacteria of the order Burkholderiales to function as original environmental hosts of the predominant gene variants in both soil and freshwater. The predictions were independently confirmed by whole-genome datasets and statistical correlations between dfrB abundance and taxonomic composition of environmental bacterial communities. Our study suggests that Burkholderiales in general and the family Comamonadaceae in particular represent environmental origins of dfrB genes, some of which now contribute to the acquired resistome of facultative pathogens. We propose that our workflow centered on long-read environmental metagenomes allows for the identification of the original hosts of further clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes. | 2024 | 39658215 |
| 9651 | 4 | 0.9999 | Host- plasmid network structure in wastewater is linked to antimicrobial resistance genes. As mobile genetic elements, plasmids are central for our understanding of antimicrobial resistance spread in microbial communities. Plasmids can have varying fitness effects on their host bacteria, which will markedly impact their role as antimicrobial resistance vectors. Using a plasmid population model, we first show that beneficial plasmids interact with a higher number of hosts than costly plasmids when embedded in a community with multiple hosts and plasmids. We then analyse the network of a natural host-plasmid wastewater community from a Hi-C metagenomics dataset. As predicted by the model, we find that antimicrobial resistance encoding plasmids, which are likely to have positive fitness effects on their hosts in wastewater, interact with more bacterial taxa than non-antimicrobial resistance plasmids and are disproportionally important for connecting the entire network compared to non- antimicrobial resistance plasmids. This highlights the role of antimicrobials in restructuring host-plasmid networks by increasing the benefits of antimicrobial resistance carrying plasmids, which can have consequences for the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes through microbial networks. Furthermore, that antimicrobial resistance encoding plasmids are associated with a broader range of hosts implies that they will be more robust to turnover of bacterial strains. | 2024 | 38228585 |
| 9654 | 5 | 0.9999 | Studying the Association between Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Insertion Sequences in Metagenomes: Challenges and Pitfalls. Antibiotic resistance is an issue in many areas of human activity. The mobilization of antibiotic resistance genes within the bacterial community makes it difficult to study and control the phenomenon. It is known that certain insertion sequences, which are mobile genetic elements, can participate in the mobilization of antibiotic resistance genes and in the expression of these genes. However, the magnitude of the contribution of insertion sequences to the mobility of antibiotic resistance genes remains understudied. In this study, the relationships between insertion sequences and antibiotic resistance genes present in the microbiome were investigated using two public datasets. The first made it possible to analyze the effects of different antibiotics in a controlled mouse model. The second dataset came from a study of the differences between conventional and organic-raised cattle. Although it was possible to find statistically significant correlations between the insertion sequences and antibiotic resistance genes in both datasets, several challenges remain to better understand the contribution of insertion sequences to the motility of antibiotic resistance genes. Obtaining more complete and less fragmented metagenomes with long-read sequencing technologies could make it possible to understand the mechanisms favoring horizontal transfers within the microbiome with greater precision. | 2023 | 36671375 |
| 4009 | 6 | 0.9999 | Unraveling the role of mobile genetic elements in antibiotic resistance transmission and defense strategies in bacteria. Irrational antibiotic use contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, which is a major cause of healthcare-associated infections globally. Molecular research has shown that multiple resistance frequently develops from the uptake of pre-existing resistance genes, which are subsequently intensified under selective pressures. Resistant genes spread and are acquired through mobile genetic elements which are essential for facilitating horizontal gene transfer. MGEs have been identified as carriers of genetic material and are a significant player in evolutionary processes. These include insertion sequences, transposons, integrative and conjugative elements, plasmids, and genomic islands, all of which can transfer between and within DNA molecules. With an emphasis on pathogenic bacteria, this review highlights the salient features of the MGEs that contribute to the development and spread of antibiotic resistance. MGEs carry non-essential genes, including AMR and virulence genes, which can enhance the adaptability and fitness of their bacterial hosts. These elements employ evolutionary strategies to facilitate their replication and dissemination, thus enabling survival without positive selection for the harboring of beneficial genes. | 2025 | 40810119 |
| 9663 | 7 | 0.9998 | The structure of temperate phage-bacteria infection networks changes with the phylogenetic distance of the host bacteria. With their ability to integrate into the bacterial chromosome and thereby transfer virulence or drug-resistance genes across bacterial species, temperate phage play a key role in bacterial evolution. Thus, it is paramount to understand who infects whom to be able to predict the movement of DNA across the prokaryotic world and ultimately the emergence of novel (drug-resistant) pathogens. We empirically investigated lytic infection patterns among Vibrio spp. from distinct phylogenetic clades and their derived temperate phage. We found that across distantly related clades, infections occur preferentially within modules of the same clade. However, when the genetic distance of the host bacteria decreases, these clade-specific infections disappear. This indicates that the structure of temperate phage-bacteria infection networks changes with the phylogenetic distance of the host bacteria. | 2018 | 30429242 |
| 9664 | 8 | 0.9998 | Distribution of Genetic Determinants Associated with CRISPR-Cas Systems and Resistance to Antibiotics in the Genomes of Archaea and Bacteria. The CRISPR-Cas system represents an adaptive immune mechanism found across diverse Archaea and Bacteria, allowing them to defend against invading genetic elements such as viruses and plasmids. Despite its broad distribution, the prevalence and complexity of CRISPR-Cas systems differ significantly between these domains. This study aimed to characterize and compare the genomic distribution, structural features, and functional implications of CRISPR-Cas systems and associated antibiotic resistance genes in 30 archaeal and 30 bacterial genomes. Through bioinformatic analyses of CRISPR arrays, cas gene architectures, direct repeats (DRs), and thermodynamic properties, we observed that Archaea exhibit a higher number and greater complexity of CRISPR loci, with more diverse cas gene subtypes exclusively of Class 1. Bacteria, in contrast, showed fewer CRISPR loci, comprising a mix of Class 1 and Class 2 systems, with Class 1 representing the majority (~75%) of the detected systems. Notably, Bacteria lacking CRISPR-Cas systems displayed a higher prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes, suggesting a possible inverse correlation between the presence of these immune systems and the acquisition of such genes. Phylogenetic and thermodynamic analyses further highlighted domain-specific adaptations and conservation patterns. These findings support the hypothesis that CRISPR-Cas systems play a dual role: first, as a defense mechanism preventing the integration of foreign genetic material-reflected in the higher complexity and diversity of CRISPR loci in Archaea-and second, as a regulator of horizontal gene transfer, evidenced by the lower frequency of antibiotic resistance genes in organisms with active CRISPR-Cas systems. Together, these results underscore the evolutionary and functional diversification of CRISPR-Cas systems in response to environmental and selective pressures. | 2025 | 40572209 |
| 4007 | 9 | 0.9998 | Detecting horizontal gene transfer among microbiota: an innovative pipeline for identifying co-shared genes within the mobilome through advanced comparative analysis. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a key driver in the evolution of bacterial genomes. The acquisition of genes mediated by HGT may enable bacteria to adapt to ever-changing environmental conditions. Long-term application of antibiotics in intensive agriculture is associated with the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria with the consequences causing public health concern. Commensal farm-animal-associated gut microbiota are considered the reservoir of the resistance genes. Therefore, in this study, we identified known and not-yet characterized mobilized genes originating from chicken and porcine fecal samples using our innovative pipeline followed by network analysis to provide appropriate visualization to support proper interpretation. | 2024 | 38099617 |
| 9672 | 10 | 0.9998 | CRISPR-Cas is associated with fewer antibiotic resistance genes in bacterial pathogens. The acquisition of antibiotic resistance (ABR) genes via horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is a key driver of the rise in multidrug resistance amongst bacterial pathogens. Bacterial defence systems per definition restrict the influx of foreign genetic material, and may therefore limit the acquisition of ABR. CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems are one of the most prevalent defences in bacteria, found in roughly half of bacterial genomes, but it has remained unclear if and how much they contribute to restricting the spread of ABR. We analysed approximately 40 000 whole genomes comprising the full RefSeq dataset for 11 species of clinically important genera of human pathogens, including Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas. We modelled the association between CRISPR-Cas and indicators of HGT, and found that pathogens with a CRISPR-Cas system were less likely to carry ABR genes than those lacking this defence system. Analysis of the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) targeted by CRISPR-Cas supports a model where this host defence system blocks important vectors of ABR. These results suggest a potential 'immunocompromised' state for multidrug-resistant strains that may be exploited in tailored interventions that rely on MGEs, such as phages or phagemids, to treat infections caused by bacterial pathogens. This article is part of the theme issue 'The secret lives of microbial mobile genetic elements'. | 2022 | 34839714 |
| 3781 | 11 | 0.9998 | Duplicated antibiotic resistance genes reveal ongoing selection and horizontal gene transfer in bacteria. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and gene duplication are often considered as separate mechanisms driving the evolution of new functions. However, the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) implicated in HGT can copy themselves, so positive selection on MGEs could drive gene duplications. Here, we use a combination of modeling and experimental evolution to examine this hypothesis and use long-read genome sequences of tens of thousands of bacterial isolates to examine its generality in nature. Modeling and experiments show that antibiotic selection can drive the evolution of duplicated antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through MGE transposition. A key implication is that duplicated ARGs should be enriched in environments associated with antibiotic use. To test this, we examined the distribution of duplicated ARGs in 18,938 complete bacterial genomes with ecological metadata. Duplicated ARGs are highly enriched in bacteria isolated from humans and livestock. Duplicated ARGs are further enriched in an independent set of 321 antibiotic-resistant clinical isolates. Our findings indicate that duplicated genes often encode functions undergoing positive selection and horizontal gene transfer in microbial communities. | 2024 | 38365845 |
| 9837 | 12 | 0.9998 | Mobilizable genomic islands, different strategies for the dissemination of multidrug resistance and other adaptive traits. Mobile genetic elements are near ubiquitous DNA segments that revealed a surprising variety of strategies for their propagation among prokaryotes and between eukaryotes. In bacteria, conjugative elements were shown to be key drivers of evolution and adaptation by efficiently disseminating genes involved in pathogenicity, symbiosis, metabolic pathways, and antibiotic resistance. Conjugative plasmids of the incompatibility groups A and C (A/C) are important vehicles for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance and the consequent global emergence and spread of multi-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Beyond their own mobility, A/C plasmids were also shown to drive the mobility of unrelated non-autonomous mobilizable genomic islands, which may also confer further advantageous traits. In this commentary, we summarize the current knowledge on different classes of A/C-dependent mobilizable genomic islands and we discuss other DNA hitchhikers and their implication in bacterial evolution. Furthermore, we glimpse at the complex genetic network linking autonomous and non-autonomous mobile genetic elements, and at the associated flow of genetic information between bacteria. | 2017 | 28439449 |
| 4010 | 13 | 0.9998 | Integrons in the Age of Antibiotic Resistance: Evolution, Mechanisms, and Environmental Implications: A Review. Integrons, which are genetic components commonly found in bacteria, possess the remarkable capacity to capture gene cassettes, incorporate them into their structure, and thereby contribute to an increase in genomic complexity and phenotypic diversity. This adaptive mechanism allows integrons to play a significant role in acquiring, expressing, and spreading antibiotic resistance genes in the modern age. To assess the current challenges posed by integrons, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of their characteristics. This review aims to elucidate the structure and evolutionary history of integrons, highlighting how the use of antibiotics has led to the preferential selection of integrons in various environments. Additionally, it explores their current involvement in antibiotic resistance and their dissemination across diverse settings, while considering potential transmission factors and routes. This review delves into the arrangement of gene cassettes within integrons, their ability to rearrange, the mechanisms governing their expression, and the process of excision. Furthermore, this study examines the presence of clinically relevant integrons in a wide range of environmental sources, shedding light on how anthropogenic influences contribute to their propagation into the environment. | 2024 | 39770781 |
| 9665 | 14 | 0.9998 | Time-calibrated genomic evolution of a monomorphic bacterium during its establishment as an endemic crop pathogen. Horizontal gene transfer is of major evolutionary importance as it allows for the redistribution of phenotypically important genes among lineages. Such genes with essential functions include those involved in resistance to antimicrobial compounds and virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria. Understanding gene turnover at microevolutionary scales is critical to assess the pace of this evolutionary process. Here, we characterized and quantified gene turnover for the epidemic lineage of a bacterial plant pathogen of major agricultural importance worldwide. Relying on a dense geographic sampling spanning 39 years of evolution, we estimated both the dynamics of single nucleotide polymorphism accumulation and gene content turnover. We identified extensive gene content variation among lineages even at the smallest phylogenetic and geographic scales. Gene turnover rate exceeded nucleotide substitution rate by three orders of magnitude. Accessory genes were found preferentially located on plasmids, but we identified a highly plastic chromosomal region hosting ecologically important genes such as transcription activator-like effectors. Whereas most changes in the gene content are probably transient, the rapid spread of a mobile element conferring resistance to copper compounds widely used for the management of plant bacterial pathogens illustrates how some accessory genes can become ubiquitous within a population over short timeframes. | 2021 | 33305421 |
| 4166 | 15 | 0.9998 | The function of integron-associated gene cassettes in Vibrio species: the tip of the iceberg. The integron is a genetic element that incorporates mobile genes termed gene cassettes into a reserved genetic site via site-specific recombination. It is best known for its role in antibiotic resistance with one type of integron, the class 1 integron, a major player in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes across Gram negative pathogens and commensals. However, integrons are ancient structures with over 100 classes (including class 1) present in bacteria from the broader environment. While, the class 1 integron is only one example of an integron being mobilized into the clinical environment, it is by far the most successful. Unlike clinical class 1 integrons which are largely found on plasmids, other integron classes are found on the chromosomes of bacteria and carry diverse gene cassettes indicating a non-antibiotic resistance role(s). However, there is very limited knowledge on what these alternative roles are. This is particularly relevant to Vibrio species where gene cassettes make up approximately 1-3% of their entire genome. In this review, we discuss how emphasis on class 1 integron research has resulted in a limited understanding by the wider research community on the role of integrons in the broader environment. This has the capacity to be counterproductive in solving or improving the antibiotic resistance problem into the future. Furthermore, there is still a significant lack of knowledge on how gene cassettes in Vibrio species drive adaptation and evolution. From research in Vibrio rotiferianus DAT722, new insight into how gene cassettes affect cellular physiology offers new alternative roles for the gene cassette resource. At least a subset of gene cassettes are involved in host surface polysaccharide modification suggesting that gene cassettes may be important in processes such as bacteriophage resistance, adhesion/biofilm formation, protection from grazers and bacterial aggregation. | 2013 | 24367362 |
| 4102 | 16 | 0.9998 | Forces shaping the antibiotic resistome. Antibiotic resistance has become a problem of global scale. Resistance arises through mutation or through the acquisition of resistance gene(s) from other bacteria in a process called horizontal gene transfer (HGT). While HGT is recognized as an important factor in the dissemination of resistance genes in clinical pathogens, its role in the environment has been called into question by a recent study published in Nature. The authors found little evidence of HGT in soil using a culture-independent functional metagenomics approach, which is in contrast to previous work from the same lab showing HGT between the environment and human microbiome. While surprising at face value, these results may be explained by the lack of selective pressure in the environment studied. Importantly, this work suggests the need for careful monitoring of environmental antibiotic pollution and stringent antibiotic stewardship in the fight against resistance. | 2014 | 25213620 |
| 4051 | 17 | 0.9998 | The human microbiome harbors a diverse reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes. The increasing levels of multi-drug resistance in human pathogenic bacteria are compromising our ability to treat infectious disease. Since antibiotic resistance determinants are readily exchanged between bacteria through lateral gene transfer, there is an increasing interest in investigating reservoirs of antibiotic resistance accessible to pathogens. Due to the high likelihood of contact and genetic exchange with pathogens during disease progression, the human microflora warrants special attention as perhaps the most accessible reservoir of resistance genes. Indeed, numerous previous studies have demonstrated substantial antibiotic resistance in cultured isolates from the human microflora. By applying metagenomic functional selections, we recently demonstrated that the functional repertoire of resistance genes in the human microbiome is much more diverse than suggested using previous culture-dependent methods. We showed that many resistance genes from cultured proteobacteria from human fecal samples are identical to resistance genes harbored by human pathogens, providing strong support for recent genetic exchange of this resistance machinery. In contrast, most of the resistance genes we identified with culture independent metagenomic sampling from the same samples were novel when compared to all known genes in public databases. While this clearly demonstrates that the antibiotic resistance reservoir of the large fraction of the human microbiome recalcitrant to culturing is severely under sampled, it may also suggest that barriers exist to lateral gene transfer between these bacteria and readily cultured human pathogens. If we hope to turn the tide against multidrug resistant infections, we must urgently commit to quantitatively characterizing the resistance reservoirs encoded by our diverse human microbiomes, with a particular focus on routes of exchange of these reservoirs with other microbial communities. | 2010 | 21178459 |
| 3997 | 18 | 0.9998 | Pyrosequencing of antibiotic-contaminated river sediments reveals high levels of resistance and gene transfer elements. The high and sometimes inappropriate use of antibiotics has accelerated the development of antibiotic resistance, creating a major challenge for the sustainable treatment of infections world-wide. Bacterial communities often respond to antibiotic selection pressure by acquiring resistance genes, i.e. mobile genetic elements that can be shared horizontally between species. Environmental microbial communities maintain diverse collections of resistance genes, which can be mobilized into pathogenic bacteria. Recently, exceptional environmental releases of antibiotics have been documented, but the effects on the promotion of resistance genes and the potential for horizontal gene transfer have yet received limited attention. In this study, we have used culture-independent shotgun metagenomics to investigate microbial communities in river sediments exposed to waste water from the production of antibiotics in India. Our analysis identified very high levels of several classes of resistance genes as well as elements for horizontal gene transfer, including integrons, transposons and plasmids. In addition, two abundant previously uncharacterized resistance plasmids were identified. The results suggest that antibiotic contamination plays a role in the promotion of resistance genes and their mobilization from environmental microbes to other species and eventually to human pathogens. The entire life-cycle of antibiotic substances, both before, under and after usage, should therefore be considered to fully evaluate their role in the promotion of resistance. | 2011 | 21359229 |
| 4034 | 19 | 0.9998 | Environmental and clinical antibiotic resistomes, same only different. The history of antibiotic use in the clinic is one of initial efficacy followed inevitably by the emergence of resistance. Often this resistance is the result of the capture and mobilization of genes that have their origins in environmental reservoirs. Both antibiotic production and resistance are ancient and widely distributed among microbes in the environment. This deep reservoir of resistance offers the opportunity for gene flow into susceptible disease-causing bacteria. Not all resistance genes are equally successfully mobilized, and some dominate in the clinic. The differences and similarities in resistance mechanisms and associated genes among environments reveal a complex interplay between gene capture and mobilization that requires study of gene diversity and gene product function to fully understand the breadth and depth of resistance and the risk to human health. | 2019 | 31330416 |