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Microplastic pollution increases gene exchange in aquatic ecosystems
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Researchers found that microplastics in aquatic environments serve as surfaces where bacteria form biofilms and exchange genes at higher rates than free-living bacteria. The study demonstrated increased transfer of antibiotic resistance genes among a wide range of bacterial species growing on microplastic particles. The findings suggest that microplastic pollution could accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance in waterways, posing a potential hazard to both ecosystems and human health.
Pollution by microplastics in aquatic ecosystems is accumulating at an unprecedented scale, emerging as a new surface for biofilm formation and gene exchange. In this study, we determined the permissiveness of aquatic bacteria towards a model antibiotic resistance plasmid, comparing communities that form biofilms on microplastics vs. those that are free-living. We used an exogenous and red-fluorescent E. coli donor strain to introduce the green-fluorescent broad-host-range plasmid pKJK5 which encodes for trimethoprim resistance. We demonstrate an increased frequency of plasmid transfer in bacteria associated with microplastics compared to bacteria that are free-living or in natural aggregates. Moreover, comparison of communities grown on polycarbonate filters showed that increased gene exchange occurs in a broad range of phylogenetically-diverse bacteria. Our results indicate horizontal gene transfer in this habitat could distinctly affect the ecology of aquatic microbial communities on a global scale. The spread of antibiotic resistance through microplastics could also have profound consequences for the evolution of aquatic bacteria and poses a neglected hazard for human health.
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Microbial gene exchange on microplastic particles
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This study examined how microplastic particles in aquatic environments facilitate the exchange of genetic material between bacteria, including potentially pathogenic or antibiotic-resistant strains. The findings suggest that microplastics could accelerate the spread of antimicrobial resistance genes in aquatic ecosystems, which has implications for human health.
Microplastics exhibit accumulation and horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes
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Researchers investigated whether microplastics in wastewater treatment plants can accumulate and spread antibiotic resistance genes. They found that bacteria growing on microplastic surfaces in treatment tanks harbored antibiotic resistance genes and transferred them at higher rates than bacteria in the surrounding water. This suggests microplastics in wastewater systems may serve as hotspots for spreading antibiotic resistance, posing potential risks to both ecosystems and human health.
Conjugative antibiotic-resistant plasmids promote bacterial colonization of microplastics in water environments
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Antibiotic-resistant bacteria carrying conjugative plasmids were shown to more effectively colonize microplastic surfaces in water environments, with plasmid transfer rates on plastic surfaces exceeding those in the surrounding water. The study identifies microplastics as hotspots for the spread of antibiotic resistance genes through horizontal gene transfer in aquatic systems.
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.
Underestimated Risks of Microplastics on the Environmental Spread of Antibiotic Resistance Genes
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Researchers highlight how microplastics in aquatic environments can accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance genes, a risk that current assessment methods may significantly underestimate. Biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces create conditions where bacteria are in close contact, facilitating the transfer of resistance genes between species. The study argues that standard microplastic detection methods miss many small particles, meaning the true scope of this resistance-spreading pathway is likely much larger than reported.
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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.