Impact of lead (Pb(2+)) on the growth and biological activity of Serratia marcescens selected for wastewater treatment and identification of its zntR gene-a metal efflux regulator. - Related Documents




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675501.0000Impact of lead (Pb(2+)) on the growth and biological activity of Serratia marcescens selected for wastewater treatment and identification of its zntR gene-a metal efflux regulator. Microorganisms isolated from contaminated areas play an important role in bioremediation processes. They promote heavy metal removal from the environment by adsorbing ions onto the cell wall surface, accumulating them inside the cells, or reducing, complexing, or precipitating these substances in the environment. Microorganism-based bioremediation processes can be highly efficient, low-cost and have low environmental impact. Thus, the present study aimed to select Pb(2+)-resistant bacteria and evaluate the growth rate, biological activity, and the presence of genes associated with metal resistance. Serratia marcescens CCMA 1010, that was previously isolated from coffee processing wastewater, was selected since was able to growth in Pb(2+) concentrations of up to 4.0 mM. The growth rate and generation time did not differ from those of the control (without Pb(2+)), although biological activity decreased in the first hour of exposure to these ions and stabilized after this period. The presence of the zntR, zntA and pbrA genes was analysed, and only zntR was detected. The zntR gene encodes a protein responsible for regulating the production of ZntA, a transmembrane protein that facilitates Pb(2+) extrusion out of the cell. S. marcescens CCMA 1010 demonstrated a potential for use as bioindicator that has potential to be used in bioremediation processes due to its resistance to high concentrations of Pb(2+), ability to grow until 24 h of exposure, and possession of a gene that indicates the existence of mechanisms associated with resistance to lead (Pb(2+)).202336752862
675410.9998Real-time PCR based analysis of metal resistance genes in metal resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain J007. A uranium (U)-resistant and -accumulating Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain was characterized to assess the response of toxic metals toward its growth and expression of metal resistance determinants. The bacterium showed MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) values of 6, 3, and 2 mM for Zn, Cu, and Cd, respectively; with resistance phenotype conferred by periplasmic Cu sequestering copA and RND type heavy metal efflux czcA genes. Real-time PCR-based expression analysis revealed significant upregulation of both these genes upon exposure to low concentrations of metals for short duration, whereas the global stress response gene sodA encoding superoxide dismutase enzyme was upregulated only at higher metal concentrations or longer exposure time. It could also be inferred that copA and czcA are involved in providing resistance only at low metal concentrations, whereas involvement of "global stress response" phenomenon (expression of sodA) at higher metal concentration or increased exposure was evident. This study provides significant understanding of the adaptive response of bacteria surviving in metal and radionuclide contaminated environments along with the development of real-time PCR-based quantification method of using metal resistance genes as biomarker for monitoring relevant bacteria in such habitats.201626662317
674820.9997Time-dependent effects of ZnO nanoparticles on bacteria in an estuarine aquatic environment. Many studies have examined the acute toxicity of nanoparticles (NPs) towards model bacteria. In this study, we report the time-dependent effects of ZnO NPs on native, selected Zn-resistant and dominant bacteria in estuarine waters. An initial inhibition of bacterial growth followed by a recovery at 24 h was observed, and this rebound phenomenon was particularly notable when the raw water samples were treated with relatively high ZnO NP concentrations (1 and 10 mg/L).By comparing the groups treated with Zn(2+), Zn(2+) was shown to largely explain the acute cytotoxic effect of ZnO NPs on bacteria in raw waters. Furthermore, similar to the native bacteria, especially the dominant bacteria, the viability of Escherichia coli (E. coli) decreased with the increasing treatments time and the concentrations of ZnO NPs in water with different salinities. Moreover, the expression of Zn-resistance genes including zntA and zntR in E. coli suggested that the Zn-resistance system in E. coli can be activated to defend against the stress of Zn(2+) released from ZnO NPs, and salinity may promote this process in estuarine aquatic systems. Thus, the effect of ZnO NPs on bacteria in estuarine water bodies is likely determined by the synergistic effect of environmental salinity and dissolved Zn ions. As such, our findings are of high relevance and importance for understanding the ecological disturbances caused by anthropogenic NPs in estuarine environments.202031505343
900730.9997Genes involved in copper resistance influence survival of Pseudomonas aeruginosa on copper surfaces. AIMS: To evaluate the killing of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 on copper cast alloys and the influence of genes on survival on copper containing medium and surfaces. METHODS AND RESULTS: Different strains of P. aeruginosa were inoculated on copper containing medium or different copper cast alloys and the survival rate determined. The survival rates were compared with rates on copper-free medium and stainless steel as control. In addition, the effect of temperature on survival was examined. CONCLUSIONS: Copper cast alloys had been previously shown to be bactericidal to various bacteria, but the mechanism of copper-mediated killing is still not known. In this report, we demonstrate that P. aeruginosa PAO1 is rapidly killed on different copper cast alloys and that genes involved in conferring copper resistance in copper-containing medium also influenced survival on copper cast alloys. We also show that the rate of killing is influenced by temperature. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: To use copper surfaces more widely as bactericidal agents in various settings, it is important to understand how genes influence survival on these surfaces. Here we show that genes shown to be involved in copper resistance in P. aeruginosa PAO1 can have an impact on the length of survival time on copper cast alloys under certain conditions. This is an important first step for evaluation of future use of copper surfaces as bactericidal agents.200919239551
895440.9996Effect of biofilm formation by antimicrobial-resistant gram-negative bacteria in cold storage on survival in dairy processing lines. Antimicrobial-resistant gram-negative bacteria in dairy products can transfer antimicrobial resistance to gut microbiota in humans and can adversely impact the product quality. In this study, we aimed to investigate their distribution in dairy processing lines and evaluate biofilm formation and heat tolerance under dairy processing line-like conditions. Additionally, we compared the relative expression of general and heat stress-related genes as well as spoilage-related gene between biofilm and planktonic cells under consecutive stresses, similar to those in dairy processing lines. Most species of gram-negative bacteria isolated from five different dairy processing plants were resistant to one or more antimicrobials. Biofilm formation by the bacteria at 5 °C increased with the increase in exposure time. Moreover, cells in biofilms remained viable under heat treatment, whereas all planktonic cells of the selected strains died. The expression of heat-shock-related genes significantly increased with heat treatment in the biofilms but mostly decreased in the planktonic cells. Thus, biofilm formation under raw milk storage conditions may improve the tolerance of antimicrobial-resistant gram-negative bacteria to pasteurization, thereby increasing their persistence in dairy processing lines and products. Furthermore, the difference in response to heat stress between biofilm and planktonic cells may be attributed to the differential expression of heat stress-related genes. Therefore, this study contributes to the understanding of how gram-negative bacteria persist under consecutive stresses in dairy processing procedures and the potential mechanism underlying heat tolerance in biofilms.202336436412
674750.9996Tetracycline accumulation in biofilms enhances the selection pressure on Escherichia coli for expression of antibiotic resistance. Microorganisms are present as either biofilm or planktonic species in natural and engineered environments. Little is known about the selection pressure emanating from exposure to sub-minimal inhibitory concentration of antibiotics on planktonic vs. biofilm bacteria. In this study, an E. coli bioreporter was used to develop biofilms on glass and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) surfaces, and compared with the corresponding planktonic bacteria in antibiotic resistance expression when exposed to a range of μg/L levels of tetracycline. The antibiotic resistance-associated fluorescence emissions from biofilm E. coli reached up to 1.6 times more than those from planktonic bacteria. The intensively developed biofilms on glass surfaces caused the embedded bacteria to experience higher selection pressure and express more antibiotic resistance than those on HDPE surfaces. The temporal pattern of fluorescence emissions from biofilm E. coli was consistent with the biofilm-developing processes during the experimental period. The increased expression of antibiotic resistance from biofilm bacteria could be attributed to the high affinity of tetracycline with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The enhanced accumulation of tetracycline in biofilms could exert higher selection pressure on the embedded bacteria. These results suggest that in many natural and engineered systems the higher antibiotic resistance in biofilm bacteria could be attributed partially to the retention antibiotics by the EPS in biofilms.202336252660
677560.9996Copper nanoparticles and copper ions promote horizontal transfer of plasmid-mediated multi-antibiotic resistance genes across bacterial genera. The spread of antibiotic resistance has become a major concern for public health. As emerging contaminants, various metallic nanoparticles (NPs) and ionic heavy metals have been ubiquitously detected in various environments. Although previous studies have indicated NPs and ionic heavy metals could exhibit co-selection effects for antibiotic resistance, little is known about whether and how they could promote antibiotic resistance spread via horizontal gene transfer across bacterial genera. This study, we report both CuO NPs and copper ions (Cu(2+)) could stimulate the conjugative transfer of multiple-drug resistance genes. When exposing bacteria to CuO NPs or Cu(2+) at environmental-relevant and sub-inhibitory concentrations (e.g., 1-100 μmol/L), conjugation frequencies of plasmid-encoded antibiotic resistance genes across genera (i.e., from Escherichia coli to Pseudomonas putida) were significantly enhanced (p < 0.05). The over-production of reactive oxygen species played a crucial role in promoting conjugative transfer. Genome-wide RNA and protein sequencing suggested expressional levels of genes and proteins related to oxidative stress, cell membrane permeability, and pilus generation were significantly up-regulated under CuO NPs and Cu(2+) exposure (p < 0.05). This study provides insights in the contributions of NPs and heavy metals on the spread of antibiotic resistance.201931158594
676170.9996Exposure to Al(2)O(3) nanoparticles facilitates conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes from Escherichia coli to Streptomyces. The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has become a global environmental issue; it has been found that nanoparticles (NPs) can promote the transfer of ARGs between bacteria. However, it remains unclear whether NPs can affect this kind of conjugation in Streptomyces, which mainly conjugate with other bacteria via spores. In the present study, we demonstrated that Al(2)O(3) NPs significantly promote the conjugative transfer of ARGs from Escherichia coli (E. coli) ET12567 to Streptomyces coelicolor (S. coelicolor) M145 without the use of heat shock method. The number of transconjugants induced by Al(2)O(3) particles was associated with the size and concentration of Al(2)O(3) particles, exposure time, and the ratio of E. coli and spores. When nanoparticle size was 30 nm at a concentration of 10 mg/L, the conjugation efficiency reached a peak value of 182 cfu/10(8) spores, which was more than 60-fold higher than that of the control. Compared with nanomaterials, bulk particles exhibited no significant effect on conjugation efficiency. We also explored the mechanisms by which NPs promote conjugative transfer. After the addition of NPs, the intracellular ROS content increased and the expression of the classical porin gene ompC was stimulated. In addition, ROS enhanced the mRNA expression levels of conjugative genes by inhibiting global regulation genes. Meanwhile, expression of the conjugation-related gene intA was also stimulated, ultimately increasing the number of transconjugants. Our results indicated that Al(2)O(3) NPs significantly promoted the conjugative transfer of ARGs from bacteria to spores and aggravated the diffusion of resistance genes in the environment.201931561730
678180.9996Antibiotic-resistance gene transfer in antibiotic-resistance bacteria under different light irradiation: Implications from oxidative stress and gene expression. Due to the significant public health risks, there is substantial scientific interest in the increasing abundance of antibiotic-resistance bacteria (ARB) and the spread of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic environments. To clearly understand the mechanism of ARG transfer, this study examined the conjugative transfer of genes encoding resistance to cephalosporin (bla(CTX)) and polymyxin (mcr-1) from two antibiotic-resistant donor strains, namely E. coli DH5α (CTX) and E. coli DH5α (MCR), and to a streptomycin-resistant receptor strain (E. coli C600 (Sm)). Conjugative transfer was specifically studied under different light irradiation conditions including visible light (VL), simulated sunlight (SS) and ultraviolet light (UV(254nm)). Results show that the conjugative transfer frequency was not affected by VL irradiation, while it was slightly improved (2-10 fold) by SS irradiation and extremely accelerated (up to 100 fold) by UV irradiation. Furthermore, this study also explored the link between ARG transfer and stress conditions. This was done by studying physiological and biochemical changes; oxidative stress response; and functional gene expression of co-cultured AR-E. coli strains under stress conditions. When correlated with the transfer frequency results, we found that VL irradiation did not affect the physiological and biochemical characteristics of the bacteria, or induce oxidative stress and gene expression. For SS irradiation, oxidative stress occurred slowly, with a slight increase in the expression of target genes in the bacterial cells. In contrast, UV irradiation, rapidly inactivated the bacteria, the degree of oxidative stress was very severe and the expression of the target genes was markedly up-regulated. Our study could provide new insight into the underlying mechanisms and links between accelerated conjugative transfer and oxidative stress, as well as the altered expression of genes relevant to conjugation and other stress responses in bacterial cells.201930465986
380390.9996Modeling Antibiotic Concentrations in the Vicinity of Antibiotic-Producing Bacteria at the Micron Scale. It is generally thought that antibiotics confer upon the producing bacteria the ability to inhibit or kill neighboring microorganisms, thereby providing the producer with a significant competitive advantage. Were this to be the case, the concentrations of emitted antibiotics in the vicinity of producing bacteria might be expected to fall within the ranges of MICs that are documented for a number of bacteria. Furthermore, antibiotic concentrations that bacteria are punctually or chronically exposed to in environments harboring antibiotic-producing bacteria might fall within the range of minimum selective concentrations (MSCs) that confer a fitness advantage to bacteria carrying acquired antibiotic resistance genes. There are, to our knowledge, no available in situ measured antibiotic concentrations in the biofilm environments that bacteria typically live in. The objective of the present study was to use a modeling approach to estimate the antibiotic concentrations that might accumulate in the vicinity of bacteria that are producing an antibiotic. Fick's law was used to model antibiotic diffusion using a series of key assumptions. The concentrations of antibiotics within a few microns of single producing cells could not reach MSC (8 to 16 μg/L) or MIC (500 μg/L) values, whereas the concentrations around aggregates of a thousand cells could reach these concentrations. The model outputs suggest that single cells could not produce an antibiotic at a rate sufficient to achieve a bioactive concentration in the vicinity, whereas a group of cells, each producing the antibiotic, could do so. IMPORTANCE It is generally assumed that a natural function of antibiotics is to provide their producers with a competitive advantage. If this were the case, sensitive organisms in proximity to producers would be exposed to inhibitory concentrations. The widespread detection of antibiotic resistance genes in pristine environments suggests that bacteria are indeed exposed to inhibitory antibiotic concentrations in the natural world. Here, a model using Fick's law was used to estimate potential antibiotic concentrations in the space surrounding producing cells at the micron scale. Key assumptions were that per-cell production rates drawn from the pharmaceutical manufacturing industry are applicable in situ, that production rates were constant, and that produced antibiotics are stable. The model outputs indicate that antibiotic concentrations in proximity to aggregates of a thousand cells can indeed be in the minimum inhibitory or minimum selective concentration range.202336975795
6742100.9996Influence of epiphytic bacteria on arsenic metabolism in Hydrilla verticillata. Microbial assemblages such as biofilms around aquatic plants play a major role in arsenic (As) cycling, which has often been overlooked in previous studies. In this study, arsenite (As(III))-oxidizing, arsenate (As(V))-reducing and As(III)-methylating bacteria were found to coexist in the phyllosphere of Hydrilla verticillata, and their relative activities were shown to determine As speciation, accumulation and efflux. When exposed to As(III), As(III) oxidation was not observed in treatment H(III)-B, whereas treatment H(III)+B showed a significant As(III) oxidation ability, thereby indicating that epiphytic bacteria displayed a substantial As(III) oxidation ability. When exposed to As(V), the medium only contained 5.89% As(III) after 48 h of treatment H(V)-B, while an As(III) content of 86.72% was observed after treatment H(V)+B, thereby indicating that the elevated As(III) in the medium probably originated from As(V) reduction by epiphytic bacteria. Our data also indicated that oxidizing bacteria decreased the As accumulation (by approximately 64.44% compared with that of treatment H(III)-B) in plants, while reducing bacteria played a critical role in increasing As accumulation (by approximately 3.31-fold compared with that of treatment H(V)-B) in plants. Regardless of whether As(III) or As(V) was supplied, As(III) was dominant in the plant tissue (over 75%). Furthermore, the presence of epiphytic bacteria enhanced As efflux by approximately 9-fold. Metagenomic analysis revealed highly diverse As metabolism genes in epiphytic bacterial community, particularly those related to energetic metabolism (aioAB), and As resistance (arsABCR, acr3, arsM). Phylogenetic analysis of As metabolism genes revealed evidence of both vertical inheritance and horizontal gene transfer, which might have contributed to the evolution of the As metabolism genes. Taken together, our research suggested that the diversity of As metabolism genes in epiphytic bacterial community is associated with aquatic submerged macrophytes which may play an important role in As biogeochemistry in aquatic environments.202032114122
6753110.9996Survival of subsurface microorganisms exposed to UV radiation and hydrogen peroxide. Aerobic and microaerophilic subsurface bacteria were screened for resistance to UV light. Contrary to the hypothesis that subsurface bacteria should be sensitive to UV light, the organisms studied exhibited resistance levels as efficient as those of surface bacteria. A total of 31% of the aerobic subsurface isolates were UV resistant, compared with 26% of the surface soil bacteria that were tested. Several aerobic, gram-positive, pigmented, subsurface isolates exhibited greater resistance to UV light than all of the reference bacterial strains tested except Deinococcus radiodurans. None of the microaerophilic, gram-negative, nonpigmented, subsurface isolates were UV resistant; however, these isolates exhibited levels of sensitivity similar to those of the gram-negative reference bacteria Escherichia coli B and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Photoreactivation activity was detected in three subsurface isolates, and strain UV3 exhibited a more efficient mechanism than E. coli B. The peroxide resistance of four subsurface isolates was also examined. The aerobic subsurface bacteria resistant to UV light tolerated higher levels of H2O2 than the microaerophilic organisms. The conservation of DNA repair pathways in subsurface microorganisms may be important in maintaining DNA integrity and in protecting the organisms against chemical insults, such as oxygen radicals, during periods of slow growth.19938285661
8953120.9996Evolution of antibiotic resistance impacts optimal temperature and growth rate in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. AIMS: Bacterial response to temperature changes can influence their pathogenicity to plants and humans. Changes in temperature can affect cellular and physiological responses in bacteria that can in turn affect the evolution and prevalence of antibiotic-resistance genes. Yet, how antibiotic-resistance genes influence microbial temperature response is poorly understood. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined growth rates and physiological responses to temperature in two species-E. coli and Staph. epidermidis-after evolved resistance to 13 antibiotics. We found that evolved resistance results in species-, strain- and antibiotic-specific shifts in optimal temperature. When E. coli evolves resistance to nucleic acid and cell wall inhibitors, their optimal growth temperature decreases, and when Staph. epidermidis and E. coli evolve resistance to protein synthesis and their optimal temperature increases. Intriguingly, when Staph. epidermidis evolves resistance to Teicoplanin, fitness also increases in drug-free environments, independent of temperature response. CONCLUSION: Our results highlight how the complexity of antibiotic resistance is amplified when considering physiological responses to temperature. SIGNIFICANCE: Bacteria continuously respond to changing temperatures-whether through increased body temperature during fever, climate change or other factors. It is crucial to understand the interactions between antibiotic resistance and temperature.202236070219
8951130.9996Response mechanisms of resistance in L-form bacteria to different target antibiotics: Implications from oxidative stress to metabolism. Due to the specific action on bacterial cell wall, β-lactam antibiotics have gained widespread usage as they exhibit a high degree of specificity in targeting bacteria, but causing minimal toxicity to host cells. Under antibiotic pressure, bacteria may opt to shed their cell walls and transform into L-form state as a means to evade the antibiotic effects. In this study, we explored and identified diverse optimal conditions for both Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli DH5α (CTX)) and Gram-positive bacteria (B. subtilis ATCC6633), which were induced to L-form bacteria using lysozyme (0.5 ppm) and meropenem (64 ppm). Notably, when bacteria transformed into L-form state, both bacterial strains showed varying degrees of increased resistance to antibiotics polymyxin E, meropenem, rifampicin, and tetracycline. E. coli DH5α (CTX) exhibited the most significant enhancement in resistance to tetracycline, with a 128-fold increase, while B. subtilis ATCC6633 showed a 32-fold increase in resistance to tetracycline and polymyxin E. Furthermore, L-form bacteria maintained their normal metabolic activity, combined with enhanced oxidative stress, served as an adaptive strategy promoting the sustained survival of L-form bacteria. This study provided a theoretical basis for comprehending antibiotic resistance mechanisms, developing innovative treatment strategies, and confronting global antibiotic resistance challenges.202438735077
8984140.9996Environmental peracetic acid increases antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus Suis. Disinfectants in the environment have important impacts on the occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria, posing a new threat to public health. Streptococcus suis (S. suis) can survive in the environment for three months and carries antibiotic resistance genes. However, it remains unclear whether disinfectants directly induce antibiotic resistance in S. suis. Here, we conducted induction experiments on the S. suis standard strain (CVCC609) with eight disinfectants at different concentrations and investigated their effects on the antibiotic resistance mechanism of S. suis. The results showed that only 64 mg L(-1) peracetic acid (PAA) led to an increase (8-fold) in S. suis resistance to tiamulin (TIA) with genetic stability. The treatment also induced significant changes in the morphology and capsule of the mutant strains, as well as triggered an increase in reactive oxygen species and biofilms in bacterial cells, resulting in an emergency response. Moreover, PAA significantly decreased the cell membrane permeability and led to slight changes in the adenosine triphosphate level. The key differentially expressed genes are closely related to these resistance mechanisms. These results reveal the co-selection mechanism of S. suis resistance to PAA and TIA, and highlight the importance of standardized application of disinfectants in livestock and poultry farming.202540286665
6109150.9996Studies on arsenic transforming groundwater bacteria and their role in arsenic release from subsurface sediment. Ten different Gram-negative arsenic (As)-resistant and As-transforming bacteria isolated from As-rich groundwater of West Bengal were characterized to assess their role in As mobilization. 16S rRNA gene analysis confirmed the affiliation of these bacteria to genera Achromobacter, Brevundimonas, Rhizobium, Ochrobactrum, and Pseudoxanthomonas. Along with superior As-resistance and As-transformation abilities, the isolates showed broad metabolic capacity in terms of utilizing a variety of electron donors and acceptors (including As) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, respectively. Arsenic transformation studies performed under various conditions indicated highly efficient As(3+) oxidation or As(5+) reduction kinetics. Genes encoding As(3+) oxidase (aioA), cytosolic As(5+) reductase (arsC), and As(3+) efflux pump (arsB and acr3) were detected within the test isolates. Sequence analyses suggested that As homeostasis genes (particularly arsC, arsB, and acr3) were acquired by most of the bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. A strong correlation between As resistance phenotype and the presence of As(3+) transporter genes was observed. Microcosm study showed that bacterial strain having cytosolic As(5+) reductase property could play important role in mobilizing As (as As(3+)) from subsurface sediment.201424764001
3804160.9996Non-invasive determination of conjugative transfer of plasmids bearing antibiotic-resistance genes in biofilm-bound bacteria: effects of substrate loading and antibiotic selection. Biofilms cause much of all human microbial infections. Attempts to eradicate biofilm-based infections rely on disinfectants and antibiotics. Unfortunately, biofilm bacteria are significantly less responsive to antibiotic stressors than their planktonic counterparts. Sublethal doses of antibiotics can actually enhance biofilm formation. Here, we have developed a non-invasive microscopic image analyses to quantify plasmid conjugation within a developing biofilm. Corroborating destructive samples were analyzed by a cultivation-independent flow cytometry analysis and a selective plate count method to cultivate transconjugants. Increases in substrate loading altered biofilm 3-D architecture and subsequently affected the frequency of plasmid conjugation (decreases at least two times) in the absence of any antibiotic selective pressure. More importantly, donor populations in biofilms exposed to a sublethal dose of kanamycin exhibited enhanced transfer efficiency of plasmids containing the kanamycin resistance gene, up to tenfold. However, when stressed with a different antibiotic, imipenem, transfer of plasmids containing the kan(R+) gene was not enhanced. These preliminary results suggest biofilm bacteria "sense" antibiotics to which they are resistant, which enhances the spread of that resistance. Confocal scanning microscopy coupled with our non-invasive image analysis was able to estimate plasmid conjugative transfer efficiency either averaged over the entire biofilm landscape or locally with individual biofilm clusters.201322669634
8681170.9996The regulatory mechanism of Chryseobacterium sp. resistance mediated by montmorillonite upon cadmium stress. Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal and its uptake by living organisms causes adverse effect, further resulting in cycle pollution of the biosphere. The specific regulatory mechanism between clays and microbes under Cd stress remains unclear. In this study, interface interactions among clays, microbes and Cd were confirmed. Comparative transcriptome was conducted to investigate how it regulated gene expression patterns of microbes (Chryseobacterium sp. WAL2), which exposed to a series of gradient concentrations of Cd (16, 32, 64 and 128 μg mL(-1)) for 12 d in the presence and absence of clay montmorillonite (Mt) (16 g L(-1)). Cd was highly enriched by the unique interface interactions between Mt and bacteria (67.6-82.1%), leading to a more hostile environment for bacterial cells. However, Mt ultimately enhanced bacterial resistance to Cd stress by stimulating the mechanism of bacterial resistance; namely: (i) Mt increased genes expression connected with ion transport, enhancing the uptake of Cd; (ii) Mt stimulated genes expression related to efflux pump and positively regulated cellular oxidative stress (e.g., glutathione) and Cd accumulation (e.g., cysteine) processes. Further, genes expression related to intracellular metabolic processes was enforced, which supplied a driving force and accelerated electron transfer; (iii) Mt improved genes expression involved in DNA replication and other biological processes (e.g., terpenoid backbone biosynthesis) to maintain bacterial vitality. Therefore, the study not only optimized a unique Cd resistance mechanism of Mt on Chryseobacterium sp., but also provided a novel insight for environmental mitigation of heavy metals from the perspective of molecular biology.202031546187
7629180.9996Graphene oxide in the water environment could affect tetracycline-antibiotic resistance. In recent years, the influence of new materials like nanoparticles in the water environment on biological substances has been widely studied. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) represent a new type of pollutant in the environment. Graphene oxide (GO), as a nano material, because of its unique structure, may have an impact on antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB) and ARGs; however the research in this area is rarely reported. Therefore, this study mainly investigated the effects of GO on bacterial antibiotic resistance. The results showed that GO had a limited effect on ARB inactivation. A high concentration of GO (>10 mg/L) can damage resistant plasmids to reduce bacterial resistance to antibiotics, but low concentrations of GO (<1 mg/L) led to almost no damage to the plasmid. However, all tested concentrations of GO promoted the conjugative transfer from 1to over 3 folds, with low concentrations and high concentration (1-10 and 100 mg/L) of GO samples the least promoted. The overall effect of GO on antibiotic resistance needs further investigation.201728549325
6745190.9996Decreased Antibiotic Susceptibility in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Surviving UV Irradition. Given its excellent performance against the pathogens, UV disinfection has been applied broadly in different fields. However, only limited studies have comprehensively investigated the response of bacteria surviving UV irradiation to the environmental antibiotic stress. Here, we investigated the antibiotic susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa suffering from the UV irradiation. Our results revealed that UV exposure may decrease the susceptibility to tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, and polymyxin B in the survival P. aeruginosa. Mechanistically, UV exposure causes oxidative stress in P. aeruginosa and consequently induces dysregulation of genes contributed to the related antibiotic resistance genes. These results revealed that the insufficient ultraviolet radiation dose may result in the decreased antibiotic susceptibility in the pathogens, thus posing potential threats to the environment and human health.202133613479