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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to Microplastics promote conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes via membrane protein interactions: Highlighting oxidative stress and energy supply
ClearNano- and Microplastics Aided by Extracellular Polymeric Substances Facilitate the Conjugative Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Bacteria
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.
Microplastics mediates the spread of antimicrobial resistance plasmids via modulating conjugal gene expression
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.
Unraveling the effect of micro/nanoplastics on the occurrence and horizontal transfer of environmental antibiotic resistance genes: Advances, mechanisms and future prospects
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.
The combination of polystyrene microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria
Combined exposure to polystyrene microplastics and the plasticizer DEHP increased conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria by increasing cell membrane permeability and upregulating related gene expression, suggesting that combined plastic pollution could accelerate the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment.
Roles of micro/nanoplastics in the spread of antimicrobial resistance through conjugative gene transfer
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.
Conjugative antibiotic-resistant plasmids promote bacterial colonization of microplastics in water environments
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.
From Interface to Cell: The Complex Interaction and Transfer Process Coupling Mechanism between Microplastics and Antibiotic Resistance Genes
Researchers examined how microplastic surfaces act as vectors for spreading antibiotic resistance genes in wastewater treatment systems. The study found that aged microplastics of PET, PE, and PP promoted bacterial adhesion, enhanced horizontal gene transfer, and triggered overproduction of reactive oxygen species, ultimately amplifying the spread of antimicrobial resistance through multiple molecular mechanisms.
Nanoplastics promote the dissemination of antibiotic resistance through conjugative gene transfer: implications from oxidative stress and gene expression
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.
Size-dependent enhancement on conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes by micro/nanoplastics
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.
Microplastic biofilms promote the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in estuarine environments
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.
A neglected risk of nanoplastics as revealed by the promoted transformation of plasmid‐borne ampicillin resistance gene by Escherichia coli
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.
Enhanced propagation of intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes in municipal wastewater by microplastics
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.
Polyethylene microplastics specifically drive the dissemination of ARGs: Mechanisms involving microbial community restructuring and horizontal gene transfer
A 28-day lake water experiment found that polyethylene microplastics specifically — more than polystyrene or polypropylene — drove significant increases in antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors in the water's microbial community, largely by restructuring which bacteria dominated and facilitating horizontal gene transfer between microbes. The plastic surface appeared to create a hotspot for resistance gene exchange by enriching certain bacterial genera that serve as hosts for these genes. Since lakes are both drinking water sources and recreational waters, this finding highlights polyethylene microplastics as a particular concern for public health.
Micro- and nanoplastics facilitate the propagation of antimicrobial resistance in mixed microbial consortia
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.
Microplastics Exacerbated Conjugative Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes during Ultraviolet Disinfection: Highlighting Difference between Conventional and Biodegradable Ones
Researchers found that microplastics significantly increased the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes during ultraviolet disinfection of wastewater. Conventional polystyrene microplastics facilitated more gene transfer than biodegradable polylactic acid ones, primarily by shielding bacteria from UV light and generating reactive oxygen species that increased cell membrane permeability.
The effects of small plastic particles on antibiotic resistance gene transfer revealed by single cell and community level analysis
Polystyrene particles of different sizes (0.2–20 µm) promoted conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria, with transfer frequencies up to 14× the blank control in sludge communities, and a non-linear size dependence with particles near bacterial cell size (2 µm) having minimal effect.
In Situ and Individual-Based Analysis of the Influence of Polystyrene Microplastics on Escherichia coli Conjugative Gene Transfer at the Single-Cell Level
An in situ microfluidic chamber system was used to visualize at the single-cell level how polystyrene microplastics influence horizontal gene transfer in Escherichia coli, finding that MP exposure increased conjugation-mediated gene transfer frequency between individual bacteria.
Synergistic effects of micro/nanoplastics and Cu(II) on horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes: New insight targeting on cell surface properties
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.
Microplastic pollution increases gene exchange in aquatic ecosystems
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.
Microplastics enhance the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in mariculture sediments by enriching host bacteria and promoting horizontal gene transfer
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 Enhance the Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Anaerobic Sludge Digestion by Enriching Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Surface Biofilm and Facilitating the Vertical and Horizontal Gene Transfer
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.
Charged nanoplastics differentially affect the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes
Researchers found that nanoplastics influence the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria, with surface charge and concentration driving opposing effects — reactive oxygen species promoted transfer while nanoplastic agglomeration inhibited it.
Real-world aged microplastics exacerbate antibiotic resistance genes dissemination in anaerobic sludge digestion via enhancing microbial metabolite communication-driven pilus conjugative transfer
Researchers found that naturally aged microplastics from real-world environments increased antibiotic resistance gene abundance in sludge by 2.59–15.31% compared to unaged controls, with the mechanism identified as enhanced pilus-mediated conjugative transfer driven by microplastic-associated changes in microbial metabolite signaling.
Surface charge governs polystyrene nanoplastics' influence on conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes
This study found that the surface charge of polystyrene nanoplastics governs their influence on the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) between bacteria. Negatively charged nanoplastics promoted ARG transfer more than positively charged particles, providing mechanistic insights for mitigating antibiotic resistance spread in contaminated environments.