Context matters — the complex interplay between resistome genotypes and resistance phenotypes

Highlights ► The importance of distinguishing resistance phenotypes from resistome genotypes is discussed. ► Examples are provided of resistance genes acquired by pathogens which do not encode resistance in their native contexts. ► The role of environmental resistomes as the evolutionary reservoir o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current opinion in microbiology 2012-10, Vol.15 (5), p.577-582
Main Authors: Dantas, Gautam, Sommer, Morten OA
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology
antibiotic resistance
Bacteria - drug effects
Bacteria - genetics
Bacterial Infections - microbiology
Biological and medical sciences
Environmental Microbiology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gene Transfer, Horizontal
genes
Genes, Bacterial
genetic recombination
Genotype
hosts
Humans
metagenomics
Microbiology
niches
pathogens
Pathology
Phenotype
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Summary:Highlights ► The importance of distinguishing resistance phenotypes from resistome genotypes is discussed. ► Examples are provided of resistance genes acquired by pathogens which do not encode resistance in their native contexts. ► The role of environmental resistomes as the evolutionary reservoir of resistance is explained. ► Functional metagenomic selections are described as an ideal method for characterizing transferrable resistance genes. ► New evidence in support of recent exchange of resistance genes between human pathogens and environmental microbes is discussed.
ISSN:1369-5274
1879-0364
DOI:10.1016/j.mib.2012.07.004