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Nanoplastics promote the dissemination of antibiotic resistance through conjugative gene transfer: implications from oxidative stress and gene expression
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Sulfate-modified polystyrene nanoplastics were found to facilitate the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between E. coli strains more effectively than larger particles, operating through SOS response induction, increased membrane permeability, and altered gene expression. The findings highlight nanoplastics as potential accelerators of antibiotic resistance spread in the environment.
S-PSNPs facilitated conjugative transfer frequency of ARGs between E. coli strains than L-PSNPs, and the mechanisms include SOS response, membrane permeability and altered related gene expression.
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Researchers discovered that polystyrene nanoplastics can significantly promote the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria, increasing transformation efficiency by 2.8 to 5.4 fold. The study found that nanoplastics induced oxidative stress, activated bacterial SOS responses, and increased cell membrane permeability, facilitating the uptake of resistance-carrying DNA, while larger microplastics had no such effect.
Size-dependent enhancement on conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes by micro/nanoplastics
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Polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics were found to enhance the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria, with smaller nano-sized particles producing stronger effects than larger microplastics. The findings raise concern that plastic pollution may be actively accelerating the spread of antibiotic resistance in aquatic environments.
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Researchers examined how polystyrene micro- and nanoplastics of varying sizes and concentrations affect the transfer of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes between gram-negative (E. coli) and gram-positive (Enterococcus faecalis) bacteria via conjugative gene transfer. The study found that micro- and nanoplastics enhanced AMR gene transfer rates in a size- and concentration-dependent manner, implicating plastic pollution as a vector for AMR dissemination.
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Researchers examined how micro- and nanoplastics affect the spread of antimicrobial resistance in mixed microbial communities. The study found that nanoplastics were particularly potent at amplifying resistance gene mobility and horizontal gene transfer by elevating reactive oxygen species, damaging cell membranes, and activating stress responses that upregulate conjugation and DNA exchange mechanisms.
Nano- and Microplastics Aided by Extracellular Polymeric Substances Facilitate the Conjugative Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Bacteria
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Researchers found that nanoplastics and small microplastics significantly enhance the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria by damaging cell membranes and stimulating extracellular polymeric substance production, raising concerns about plastic pollution driving antimicrobial resistance.
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When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.