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Review of the Presence and Phage-Mediated Transfer of ARGs in Biofilms
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This review summarizes how bacterial communities that form protective films (biofilms) on surfaces -- including microplastics -- serve as reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes that can spread to other bacteria. The paper highlights that viruses called bacteriophages can transfer these resistance genes between bacteria within biofilms, potentially accelerating the spread of drug-resistant infections that are increasingly difficult to treat.
The widespread use of antibiotics has led to the emergence of a large number of drug-resistant bacteria, accelerating the dissemination and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. Bacterial biofilms, serving as reservoirs of ARGs, pose potential risks to environmental health that should not be ignored. Studies on the presence and transfer of ARGs in biofilms have been conducted both domestically and internationally. This article summarises the research progress on ARGs in various environments and analyses the mechanisms and factors influencing the dissemination and transfer of ARGs in microplastics, activated sludge, and pipe wall biofilms, with a particular focus on phage-mediated ARG transfer. We also discuss current research gaps in this field to provide references for future biofilm management and health risk control of ARGs.
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This review examines how microplastics in water serve as surfaces for bacterial biofilms that harbor antibiotic resistance genes. The biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces can spread resistance genes to other bacteria and potentially to organisms that ingest them, including fish and ultimately humans. The authors highlight that microplastic-associated antibiotic resistance is an underappreciated public health risk that needs more research.
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This review examined how microplastic biofilms—the plastisphere—serve as hotspots for antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) accumulation and potential pathogen enrichment. The authors described mechanisms by which microplastic surfaces promote horizontal gene transfer and bacterial community shifts that favor ARG-carrying strains, raising concern that microplastics accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance in aquatic environments.
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This review examined the role of microplastics as carriers of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and pathogenic bacteria, analyzing how plastisphere biofilms concentrate and spread AMR through air, water, and soil environments. The evidence supports MPs as global vectors for antimicrobial resistance dissemination with implications for human health.
The Impact of Microplastics on Antibiotic Resistance Genes
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This review analyzed the distribution, migration, and transfer pathways of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in relation to microplastics in environmental systems. Microplastics serve as substrates for ARG-carrying biofilms (plastispheres), facilitating the spread of antibiotic resistance across ecosystems.
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This review explains how microplastics in waterways develop bacterial biofilms on their surfaces that can harbor antibiotic-resistant bacteria and help spread antibiotic resistance genes to new environments. This is concerning for human health because these resistant microbes could eventually reach people through drinking water or seafood consumption.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.