RESUMEN
Escalating burden of antibiotic resistance that has reached new heights present a grave concern to mankind. As the problem is no longer confined to clinics, we hereby report identification of a pandrug resistant Escherichia coli isolate from heavily polluted Delhi stretch of river Yamuna, India. E. coli MRC11 was found sensitive only to tobramycin against 21 antibiotics tested, with minimum inhibitory concentration values >256 µg/mL for amoxicillin, carbenicillin, aztreonam, ceftazidime and cefotaxime. Addition of certain heavy metals at higher concentrations were ineffective in increasing susceptibility of E. coli MRC11 to antibiotics. Withstanding sub-optimal concentration of cefotaxime (10 µg/mL) and mercuric chloride (2 µg/mL), and also resistance to their combinatorial use, indicates better adaptability in heavily polluted environment through clustering and expression of resistance genes. Interestingly, E. coli MRC11 harbours two different variants of blaTEM (blaTEM-116 and blaTEM-1 with and without extended-spectrum activity, respectively), in addition to mer operon (merB, merP and merT) genes. Studies employing conjugation, confirmed localization of blaTEM-116, merP and merT genes on the conjugative plasmid. Understanding potentialities of such isolates will help in determining risk factors attributing pandrug resistance and strengthening strategic development of new and effective antimicrobial agents.(AU)
Asunto(s)
Escherichia coli , Escherichia coli/aislamiento & purificación , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana Múltiple , Genes MDR , Desastres Provocados por el Hombre , Metales Pesados , Contaminación del Agua/efectos adversosRESUMEN
Abstract Escalating burden of antibiotic resistance that has reached new heights present a grave concern to mankind. As the problem is no longer confined to clinics, we hereby report identification of a pandrug resistant Escherichia coli isolate from heavily polluted Delhi stretch of river Yamuna, India. E. coli MRC11 was found sensitive only to tobramycin against 21 antibiotics tested, with minimum inhibitory concentration values >256 µg/mL for amoxicillin, carbenicillin, aztreonam, ceftazidime and cefotaxime. Addition of certain heavy metals at higher concentrations were ineffective in increasing susceptibility of E. coli MRC11 to antibiotics. Withstanding sub-optimal concentration of cefotaxime (10 µg/mL) and mercuric chloride (2 µg/mL), and also resistance to their combinatorial use, indicates better adaptability in heavily polluted environment through clustering and expression of resistance genes. Interestingly, E. coli MRC11 harbours two different variants of blaTEM (blaTEM-116 and blaTEM-1 with and without extended-spectrum activity, respectively), in addition to mer operon (merB, merP and merT) genes. Studies employing conjugation, confirmed localization of blaTEM-116, merP and merT genes on the conjugative plasmid. Understanding potentialities of such isolates will help in determining risk factors attributing pandrug resistance and strengthening strategic development of new and effective antimicrobial agents.
Asunto(s)
Metales Pesados/farmacología , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana Múltiple , Ríos/microbiología , Escherichia coli/efectos de los fármacos , Antibacterianos/farmacología , Operón , beta-Lactamasas/genética , beta-Lactamasas/metabolismo , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/genética , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/metabolismo , Escherichia coli/aislamiento & purificación , Escherichia coli/enzimología , Escherichia coli/genética , IndiaRESUMEN
Escalating burden of antibiotic resistance that has reached new heights present a grave concern to mankind. As the problem is no longer confined to clinics, we hereby report identification of a pandrug resistant Escherichia coli isolate from heavily polluted Delhi stretch of river Yamuna, India. E. coli MRC11 was found sensitive only to tobramycin against 21 antibiotics tested, with minimum inhibitory concentration values >256µg/mL for amoxicillin, carbenicillin, aztreonam, ceftazidime and cefotaxime. Addition of certain heavy metals at higher concentrations were ineffective in increasing susceptibility of E. coli MRC11 to antibiotics. Withstanding sub-optimal concentration of cefotaxime (10µg/mL) and mercuric chloride (2µg/mL), and also resistance to their combinatorial use, indicates better adaptability in heavily polluted environment through clustering and expression of resistance genes. Interestingly, E. coli MRC11 harbours two different variants of blaTEM (blaTEM-116 and blaTEM-1 with and without extended-spectrum activity, respectively), in addition to mer operon (merB, merP and merT) genes. Studies employing conjugation, confirmed localization of blaTEM-116, merP and merT genes on the conjugative plasmid. Understanding potentialities of such isolates will help in determining risk factors attributing pandrug resistance and strengthening strategic development of new and effective antimicrobial agents.
Asunto(s)
Antibacterianos/farmacología , Farmacorresistencia Bacteriana Múltiple , Escherichia coli/efectos de los fármacos , Metales Pesados/farmacología , Ríos/microbiología , Escherichia coli/enzimología , Escherichia coli/genética , Escherichia coli/aislamiento & purificación , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/genética , Proteínas de Escherichia coli/metabolismo , India , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Operón , beta-Lactamasas/genética , beta-Lactamasas/metabolismoRESUMEN
Abstract Mercury, which is ubiquitous and recalcitrant to biodegradation processes, threatens human health by escaping to the environment via various natural and anthropogenic activities. Non-biodegradability of mercury pollutants has necessitated the development and implementation of economic alternatives with promising potential to remove metals from the environment. Enhancement of microbial based remediation strategies through genetic engineering approaches provides one such alternative with a promising future. In this study, bacterial isolates inhabiting polluted sites were screened for tolerance to varying concentrations of mercuric chloride. Following identification, several Pseudomonas and Klebsiella species were found to exhibit the highest tolerance to both organic and inorganic mercury. Screened bacterial isolates were examined for their genetic make-up in terms of the presence of genes (merP and merT) involved in the transport of mercury across the membrane either alone or in combination to deal with the toxic mercury. Gene sequence analysis revealed that the merP gene showed 86–99% homology, while the merT gene showed >98% homology with previously reported sequences. By exploring the genes involved in imparting metal resistance to bacteria, this study will serve to highlight the credentials that are particularly advantageous for their practical application to remediation of mercury from the environment.
Asunto(s)
Humanos , Klebsiella/metabolismo , Proteínas de Transporte de Membrana/genética , Proteínas de Transporte de Membrana/metabolismo , Mercurio/metabolismo , Pseudomonas/metabolismo , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/metabolismo , Tolerancia a Medicamentos , Genes Bacterianos , India , Klebsiella/efectos de los fármacos , Klebsiella/genética , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Mercurio/toxicidad , Pseudomonas/efectos de los fármacos , Pseudomonas/genética , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , Homología de Secuencia , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/toxicidadRESUMEN
Mercury, which is ubiquitous and recalcitrant to biodegradation processes, threatens human health by escaping to the environment via various natural and anthropogenic activities. Non-biodegradability of mercury pollutants has necessitated the development and implementation of economic alternatives with promising potential to remove metals from the environment. Enhancement of microbial based remediation strategies through genetic engineering approaches provides one such alternative with a promising future. In this study, bacterial isolates inhabiting polluted sites were screened for tolerance to varying concentrations of mercuric chloride. Following identification, several Pseudomonas and Klebsiella species were found to exhibit the highest tolerance to both organic and inorganic mercury. Screened bacterial isolates were examined for their genetic make-up in terms of the presence of genes (merP and merT) involved in the transport of mercury across the membrane either alone or in combination to deal with the toxic mercury. Gene sequence analysis revealed that the merP gene showed 86-99% homology, while the merT gene showed >98% homology with previously reported sequences. By exploring the genes involved in imparting metal resistance to bacteria, this study will serve to highlight the credentials that are particularly advantageous for their practical application to remediation of mercury from the environment.
Asunto(s)
Klebsiella/metabolismo , Proteínas de Transporte de Membrana/genética , Proteínas de Transporte de Membrana/metabolismo , Mercurio/metabolismo , Pseudomonas/metabolismo , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/metabolismo , Tolerancia a Medicamentos , Genes Bacterianos , Humanos , India , Klebsiella/efectos de los fármacos , Klebsiella/genética , Mercurio/toxicidad , Datos de Secuencia Molecular , Pseudomonas/efectos de los fármacos , Pseudomonas/genética , Análisis de Secuencia de ADN , Homología de Secuencia , Contaminantes Químicos del Agua/toxicidadRESUMEN
Mercury, which is ubiquitous and recalcitrant to biodegradation processes, threatens human health by escaping to the environment via various natural and anthropogenic activities. Non-biodegradability of mercury pollutants has necessitated the development and implementation of economic alternatives with promising potential to remove metals from the environment. Enhancement of microbial based remediation strategies through genetic engineering approaches provides one such alternative with a promising future. In this study, bacterial isolates inhabiting polluted sites were screened for tolerance to varying concentrations of mercuric chloride. Following identification, several Pseudomonas and Klebsiella species were found to exhibit the highest tolerance to both organic and inorganic mercury. Screened bacterial isolates were examined for their genetic make-up in terms of the presence of genes (merP and merT) involved in the transport of mercury across the membrane either alone or in combination to deal with the toxic mercury. Gene sequence analysis revealed that the merP gene showed 8699% homology, while the merT gene showed >98% homology with previously reported sequences. By exploring the genes involved in imparting metal resistance to bacteria, this study will serve to highlight the credentials that are particularly advantageous for their practical application to remediation of mercury from the environment. (AU)