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Synergistic effects of micro/nanoplastics and Cu(II) on horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes: New insight targeting on cell surface properties
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Researchers studied how micro- and nanoplastics combined with copper ions affect the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria. They found that nanoplastics amplified copper's effect on gene transfer, increasing conjugative transfer frequency by 4.4-fold, while microplastics actually mitigated the effect by reducing copper's bioavailability. The study reveals that particle size plays a critical role in determining whether plastics promote or inhibit the spread of antibiotic resistance.
Microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) facilitate antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transfer through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). However, the combined effects of M-NPs and heavy metals on HGT remain poorly understood, and the effects of cell surface properties is neglected. In this study, an antibiotic co-existence heavy metal Cu was used to study its synergetic effect with M-NPs on HGT, with a specific focus on bacterial surface characteristics and physiological responses. Results reveal that NPs amplified Cu(II)'s effect on conjugative transfer of ARGs, while MPs showed mitigation effect. NPs+Cu(II) co-exposure yielded the highest conjugative transfer frequency (4.4-fold) and a 35-fold surge in transformation frequency compared to the control. These disparities stem from bacterial physiological responses, including 4-7-fold elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS), 3-4-fold increased membrane permeability, 1.5-1.8-fold enhanced ATP synthesis, altered drug-resistant efflux and metabolic pathways; Furthermore, cell surface property modulation-Cu(II) stimulated 1.2-fold lipopolysaccharide (LPS) production and M-NPs regulated outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) concentration/sizes, with extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) optimizing interbacterial aggregation for gene transfer. In addition, MPs+Cu(II) induced 49 % viable but non-culturable (VBNC) bacteria and high-dose M-NPs caused excessive bacterial injury/death, reducing gene transfer (VBNC ratio indicating stress severity). These findings highlight co-exposure impacts and offer novel insights into the environmental risks posed by M-NPs and ARGs.
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This review examines how micro- and nanoplastics promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in the environment. The tiny plastic particles create conditions that help bacteria exchange resistance genes more easily by generating oxidative stress, making cell membranes more permeable, and providing surfaces where resistant bacteria can form communities. This is a growing public health concern because antibiotic-resistant infections are increasingly difficult to treat.
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