Selective pressure affects transfer and establishment of a Lactobacillus plantarum resistance plasmid in the gastrointestinal environment

Abstract

The overall results imply that the gastrointestinal tract may comprise a more favourable environment for antibiotic resistance transfer than conditions provided in vitro. However, the indigenous gut microbiota severely restricts transfer, thus minimizing the number of detectable transfer events. Treatment with erythromycin strongly favoured transfer and establishment of pLFE1.

Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance in Probiotic Lactobacilli

“…In the diassociated model pAMβ1 has been transferred from L. reuteri to Enterococcus faecalis (Morelli et al, 1988). Interspecies conjugative transfer of tetracycline and erythromycin resistance plasmids from lactobacilli has been demonstrated previously in vitro (Gevers et al, 2003a;Ouoba et al, 2008;Feld et al, 2008 Transfer has been demonstrated in the GIT of rodents, both gnotobiotic (Feld et al, 2008;Jacobsen et al, 2007;Morelli et al, 1988) and those having an indigenous gut microbiota (Feld et al, 2008;Jacobsen et al, 2007;Schlundt et al, 1994;McConnell et al, 1991;Gruzza et al, 1994;Igimi et al, 1996). In addition, the in vivo transfer of vancomycin resistance has recently been shown between enterococci and probiotic lactobacilli in gnotobiotic mice (Mater et al, 2008).…”

“…Resistance to tetracycline has been observed more often among lactobacilli (Roberts, 2005;Korhonen et al, 2008). Resistance against neomycin, kanamycin, streptomycin and gentamicin (aminoglycosides) has been observed more frequently among lactobacilli (Coppola et al, 2005;Danielsen, 2002;Zhou et al, 2005).…”

“…These have been described in multiple studies and have been reviewed (Ammor et al, 2007). Two of the most commonly observed resistance genes in lactobacilli found so far are tet(M) for tetracycline resistance and erm(B) for erythromycin resistance, followed with cat genes coding for chloramphenicol resistance (Danielsen, 2002;Lin et al, 1996;Gevers et al, 2003a;Cataloluk & Gogebakan, 2004).…”

“…The occurrence of large numbers of transferable resistance genes within the intestinal microbiota is undesirable due to the potential risk of acquisition by pathogens present in the GIT and subsequent antibiotic treatment failure (Licht & Wilcks, 2005 Several of these genetic determinants in lactobacilli are harboured by extrachromosomal elements which are conjugative plasmids and transposons (Mathur & Singh, 2005;Danielsen, 2002;Gevers et al, 2003a;Axelsson et al, 1988;Gfeller et al, 2003). Transfer from lactobacilli to other commensal bacteria has been documented in vitro (Feld et al, 2008;Gevers et al, 2003b;Jacobsen et al, 2007;Sasaki et al, 1988;Schlundt et al, 1994). Studying the board-host-range conjugative plasmid pAMβ1, transfer was observed in vitro from lactobacilli (L. plantarum, L. reuteri, L. fermentum, and L. murinus) to other commensal bacteria (Ouoba et al, 2008;Tannock, 1987;Gasson & Davies, 1980;Shrago et al, 1986;West & Warner, 1985).…”

Augmentation of antimicrobial activity of conventional antibiotics by cell-free extract of L. plantarum

“…10 Although the observations of the present study indicate that CFS has the potential to augment the efficacy of antibiotics but the possibility of transfer of resistance genes from L. plantarum (if given as such) to Salmonella cannot be ruled out as has been reported in case of other microorganisms. 23,24 This issue needs to be explored further in reference to Salmonella infections. …”