Mobile Genetic Elements Drive Antimicrobial Resistance Gene Spread in Pasteurellaceae Species

Abstract

Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) drive important ecological relationships in microbial communities and pathogen-host interaction. In this study, we investigated the resistome-associated mobilome in 345 publicly available Pasteurellaceae genomes, a large family of Gram-negative bacteria including major human and animal pathogens. We generated a comprehensive dataset of the mobilome integrated into genomes, including 10,820 insertion sequences, 2,939 prophages, and 43 integrative and conjugative elements. Also, we assessed plasmid sequences of Pasteurellaceae. Our findings greatly expand the diversity of MGEs for the family, including a description of novel elements. We discovered that MGEs are comparable and dispersed across species and that they also co-occur in genomes, contributing to the family’s ecology via gene transfer. In addition, we investigated the impact of these elements in the dissemination and shaping of AMR genes. A total of 55 different AMR genes were mapped to 721 locations in the dataset. MGEs are linked with 77.6% of AMR genes discovered, indicating their important involvement in the acquisition and transmission of such genes. This study provides an uncharted view of the Pasteurellaceae by demonstrating the global distribution of resistance genes linked with MGEs.

Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Respiratory Bacteria from Weaned Dairy Heifers

“…This is problematic because respiratory disease is the primary cause of disease among weaned dairy heifers in the US [ 2 ]; the high prevalence of AMR genes in weaned dairy heifers reported in our study suggests that many of the drugs used for the treatment of BRD in this production group may continue to create selective pressure for AMR, and treatment may not be effective when these AMR genes are expressed. Additionally, there is a high rate of co-occurrence between AMR genes, which are commonly located in mobile genetic elements in Pasteurellaceae [ 65 ]; this could complicate efforts to decrease AMR because selective pressure on one class of AMD may also create selective pressure for other classes of AMD.…”

PluMu - a Mu-like bacteriophage infectingActinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

“…First-generation killed whole-cell (bacterin) vaccines are the most widely used, but do not prevent colonization or transmission; second-generation Apx-toxin recombinant or toxoid vaccines have been associated with safety concerns; and third-generation live attenuated vaccines are in development [4]. Mobile genetic elements facilitate the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and small plasmids and integrative conjugative elements carrying resistance genes have been reported in isolates of A. pleuropneumoniae [5,6]. However, to our knowledge, no active phage has been described in A. pleuropneumoniae although recent Phaster [7] and ProPhage Hunter [8] analyses identified possible phage in some isolates [9,10].…”

Dispersion of antimicrobial resistant bacteria in pig farms and in the surrounding environment

“…Such resistance is generated by genes called antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), which are present in microbial genomes and ensure survival when exposed to antimicrobial molecules. The spread of ARGs across the planet microbiomes can occur through several mechanisms, such as: (i) direct transmission of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) between different ecosystems, (ii) horizontal gene transfer of ARGs between different microbiome components, as promoted by mobile genetic elements [ 10 , 26 ], and/or vertical transmission process [ 27 ]. It is clear that, the overuse of antibiotics in anthropic systems in past years has favored the selection of ARB and ARGs, as well as their subsequent spread across all planet biomes, with animal farming being a hotspot of evolution and resistance spread [ 29 ].…”