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Microplastics enhance the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in mariculture sediments by enriching host bacteria and promoting horizontal gene transfer
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Researchers found that polystyrene and PVC microplastics in marine sediments increased the abundance of antibiotic resistance genes by 1.4 to 2.8 times compared to sediment without plastics. PVC was particularly harmful because its chemical additives, including heavy metals and bisphenol A, promoted bacteria to share resistance genes more readily. These findings show that microplastic pollution in oceans is directly contributing to the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a major public health concern.
Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) pose significant challenges to the One Health framework due to their intricate and multifaceted ecological and environmental impacts. However, the understanding of how MP properties influence ARG prevalence in mariculture sediments remains limited. Herein, the polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) MPs with different sizes (20-120 μm and 0.5-2.0 mm) were selected to evaluate their impacts and underlying mechanisms driving ARGs dissemination. The results showed that PS and PVC MPs increased the relative abundance of ARGs by 1.41-2.50-fold and 2.01-2.84-fold, respectively, compared with control, particularly high-risk genes. The polymer type effect was identified as more influential than the size effect in driving the sediment resistome evolution. PVC shifted the microbial community assembly from stochastic to deterministic processes, thus enriching ARG host pathogens. Furthermore, the highly hydrophobic PS not only recruited the host bacteria colonization but also facilitated ARG exchange within the plastisphere. The exogenous additives released by PVC (e.g., heavy metals, bisphenol A, and tridecyl ester) and the particles synergistically promoted ARG conjugative transfer by inducing oxidative stress and enhancing cell membrane permeability. These findings revealed how MPs characteristics facilitated the spread of ARGs in marine benthic ecosystems, underscoring the importance of mitigating MPs pollution to maintain mariculture ecosystem health, prevent zoonotic diseases, and balance global mariculture with ecological health.
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Researchers placed four types of common microplastics in a marine environment for over 100 days and found that bacterial communities and antibiotic resistance genes accumulated on the plastic surfaces over time. PVC microplastics were particularly effective at concentrating resistance genes, and a key gene-transfer element was found on all plastic types. These results show that microplastics floating in the ocean act as hotspots for antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which could eventually reach humans through seafood or water.
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This study found that four common types of microplastics can increase the spread of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria by up to 200-fold. The microplastics activated stress-response genes in bacteria that promote the sharing of resistance-carrying DNA. This links two major public health threats, showing that microplastic pollution could make antibiotic-resistant infections more common and harder to treat.
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This study found that microplastics in sewage sludge promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, which make bacteria harder to treat with antibiotics. Microplastics provided a surface for resistant bacteria to grow and helped them share resistance genes with other bacteria. The more microplastics present, the more antibiotic resistance spread, raising concerns about how plastic pollution in wastewater could contribute to the growing antibiotic resistance crisis.
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Researchers investigated how microplastics in municipal wastewater can carry and promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, including those found both inside and outside bacterial cells. They found that microplastics adsorbed both types of resistance genes and enhanced their transfer between bacteria through horizontal gene transfer. The study reveals that microplastics in wastewater systems may act as an underappreciated accelerator of antibiotic resistance spread.
Microplastic biofilms promote the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in estuarine environments
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Researchers compared how effectively antibiotic resistance genes transfer between bacteria floating freely in water versus bacteria living in biofilms on microplastic surfaces. They found that microplastic biofilms significantly enhanced the transfer of resistance genes compared to free-floating bacteria, with factors like extracellular DNA and cell membrane permeability playing key roles. The study suggests that microplastics in estuaries may act as hotspots for spreading antibiotic resistance in the environment.
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