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Dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes from antibiotic producers to pathogens

Author

Listed:
  • Xinglin Jiang

    (The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark)

  • Mostafa M. Hashim Ellabaan

    (The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark)

  • Pep Charusanti

    (The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark)

  • Christian Munck

    (The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark)

  • Kai Blin

    (The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark)

  • Yaojun Tong

    (The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark)

  • Tilmann Weber

    (The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark)

  • Morten O. A. Sommer

    (The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark)

  • Sang Yup Lee

    (The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Biosustainability, Technical University of Denmark
    Metabolic and Biomolecular Engineering National Research Laboratory, Center for Systems and Synthetic Biotechnology, Institute for the BioCentury, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST))

Abstract

It has been hypothesized that some antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) found in pathogenic bacteria derive from antibiotic-producing actinobacteria. Here we provide bioinformatic and experimental evidence supporting this hypothesis. We identify genes in proteobacteria, including some pathogens, that appear to be closely related to actinobacterial ARGs known to confer resistance against clinically important antibiotics. Furthermore, we identify two potential examples of recent horizontal transfer of actinobacterial ARGs to proteobacterial pathogens. Based on this bioinformatic evidence, we propose and experimentally test a ‘carry-back’ mechanism for the transfer, involving conjugative transfer of a carrier sequence from proteobacteria to actinobacteria, recombination of the carrier sequence with the actinobacterial ARG, followed by natural transformation of proteobacteria with the carrier-sandwiched ARG. Our results support the existence of ancient and, possibly, recent transfers of ARGs from antibiotic-producing actinobacteria to proteobacteria, and provide evidence for a defined mechanism.

Suggested Citation

  • Xinglin Jiang & Mostafa M. Hashim Ellabaan & Pep Charusanti & Christian Munck & Kai Blin & Yaojun Tong & Tilmann Weber & Morten O. A. Sommer & Sang Yup Lee, 2017. "Dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes from antibiotic producers to pathogens," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-7, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms15784
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15784
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhenyan Zhang & Qi Zhang & Tingzhang Wang & Nuohan Xu & Tao Lu & Wenjie Hong & Josep Penuelas & Michael Gillings & Meixia Wang & Wenwen Gao & Haifeng Qian, 2022. "Assessment of global health risk of antibiotic resistance genes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Peter J. Diebold & Matthew W. Rhee & Qiaojuan Shi & Nguyen Vinh Trung & Fayaz Umrani & Sheraz Ahmed & Vandana Kulkarni & Prasad Deshpande & Mallika Alexander & Ngo Hoa & Nicholas A. Christakis & Najee, 2023. "Clinically relevant antibiotic resistance genes are linked to a limited set of taxa within gut microbiome worldwide," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.

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