Outer Membrane Vesicles Derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae Are a Driving Force for Horizontal Gene Transfer

Abstract

Gram-negative bacteria release Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs) into the extracellular environment. Recent studies recognized these vesicles as vectors to horizontal gene transfer; however, the parameters that mediate OMVs transfer within bacterial communities remain unclear. The present study highlights for the first time the transfer of plasmids containing resistance genes via OMVs derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae). This mechanism confers DNA protection, it is plasmid copy number dependent with a ratio of 3.6 times among high copy number plasmid (pGR) versus low copy number plasmid (PRM), and the transformation efficiency was 3.6 times greater. Therefore, the DNA amount in the vesicular lumen and the efficacy of horizontal gene transfer was strictly dependent on the identity of the plasmid. Moreover, the role of K. pneumoniae-OMVs in interspecies transfer was described. The transfer ability was not related to the phylogenetic characteristics between the donor and the recipient species. K. pneumoniae-OMVs transferred plasmid to Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia. These findings address the pivotal role of K. pneumoniae-OMVs as vectors for antimicrobial resistance genes spread, contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance in the microbial communities.

Outer membrane vesicles-transmitted virulence genes mediate the emergence of new antimicrobial-resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae

“…Importantly, in Federica et al, genetically engineered Klebsiella pneumoniae -OMVs serve as vectors for antimicrobial resistance genes spread in the microbial communities [ 14 ]. hvKp similarly secretes outer membrane vesicles lumen-contained various virulence factors and bioactive substances, stimulating the inflammatory response [ 15 ].…”

Characterization and Comparison of Ocular Surface Microbiome in Newborns

“…Several extrinsic and intrinsic factors are known to modulate the human microbiota. Intrinsic factors such as pH, oxygen, nutrients and microbial interactions and extrinsic ones, including external environmental factors, such as lifestyle, aging, nutrition, surgery, exposure to antibiotics, influence the remodeling of the microbiota, inhibiting and/or selecting the growth of preferential species [ 3 , 4 ].…”

Dissemination of virulence and resistance genes among Klebsiella pneumoniae via outer membrane vesicle: An important plasmid transfer mechanism to promote the emergence of carbapenem‐resistant hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae

“…In recent studies, the antimicrobial-resistance genes located at large plasmids are carried by E. coli-derived OMVs, which hold the ability to transfer them into other E. coli strains (Bielaszewska et al, 2020b). K. pneumoniae can produce OMVs, and its OMVs also act as vectors for the transfer of plasmid-encoded antimicrobial-resistance genes (Dell'Annunziata et al, 2021). In 2018, scholars propose the emergence of carbapenemresistant hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (CR-hvKp) isolates (Yao et al, 2018).…”