Different paths, same destination: Bisphenol A and its substitute induce the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) 2024-11, Vol.368, p.143625, Article 143625
• Main Authors: Xiong, Jinrui, Hu, Siyuan, Xu, Zhixiang, Li, Caiqing, Li, Zihui, Li, Siyuan, Ma, Yitao, Ren, Xiaomin, Huang, Bin, Pan, Xuejun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Anti-Bacterial Agents - toxicity; Antibiotic resistance genes; Benzhydryl Compounds - toxicity; Bisphenol A; Bisphenol S; Conjugation, Genetic; Conjugative transfer; Drug Resistance, Bacterial - genetics; Drug Resistance, Microbial - genetics; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli - drug effects; Escherichia coli - genetics; Gene Transfer, Horizontal; Phenols - toxicity; Plasmids - genetics; Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism; Sulfones - toxicity
• ISSN: 0045-6535; 1879-1298; 1879-1298
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.143625

Antibiotic resistance genes are primarily spread through horizontal gene transfer in aquatic environments. Bisphenols, which are widely used in industry, are pervasive contaminants in such environments. This study investigated how environmentally relevant concentrations of bisphenol A and its substitute (bisphenol S, Bisphenol AP and Bisphenol AF) affect the spread of antibiotic resistance genes among Escherichia coli. As a result, bisphenol A and its three substitutes were found to promote the RP4 plasmid-mediated conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes with different promotive efficiency. Particularly, bisphenol A and bisphenol S were found to induce more than double the incidence of conjugation at 0.1 nmol/L concentration. They therefore were selected as model compounds to investigate the involved mechanisms. Surprisingly, both slightly inhibited bacterial activity, but there was no significant increase in cell death. Bisphenols exposure changed the polymeric substances excreted by the bacteria, increased the permeability of their cell membranes, induced the secretion of antioxidant enzymes and generated reactive oxygen species. They also affected the expression of genes related to conjugative transfer by upregulating replication and DNA transfer genes and downregulating global regulatory genes. It should be noted that gene expression levels were higher in the BPS-exposed group than in the BPA-exposed group. The synthesis of bacterial metabolites and functional components was also significantly affected by bisphenols exposure. This research has helped to clarify the potential health risks of bisphenol contamination of aquatic environments. [Display omitted] •Environmental concentrations of bisphenol promote the conjugative transfer of ARGs.•The conjugative transfer frequency induced by BPS is greater than that of BPA.•Bisphenols do not significantly change the proportion of dead cells.•BPS is more likely to induce oxidative stress than BPA.•BPA and BPS regulate bacterial metabolism in different ways.