Fungal networks serve as novel ecological routes for enrichment and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes as exhibited by microcosm experiments

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment and their subsequent acquisition by clinically important microorganisms are a serious concern. However, the spread of environmental ARGs remain largely unknown. We report, for the first time, the involvement of soil fungi in the distribution of b...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2017-11, Vol.7 (1), p.15457-13, Article 15457
Main Authors: Nazir, Rashid, Shen, Ju-Pei, Wang, Jun-Tao, Hu, Hang-Wei, He, Ji-Zheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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Abundance
Antibiotic resistance
Antibiotics
Bacteria
Drug resistance
Fungi
Gene transfer
Genes
Humanities and Social Sciences
Inoculation
Microcosms
Microorganisms
Migration
multidisciplinary
Mycelia
Relative abundance
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Soil microorganisms
TnpA gene
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Summary:Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment and their subsequent acquisition by clinically important microorganisms are a serious concern. However, the spread of environmental ARGs remain largely unknown. We report, for the first time, the involvement of soil fungi in the distribution of bacteria with ARGs via soil microcosms. qPCR assay detected unique ARGs specifically found in the mycosphere of different fungi. Interestingly, the taxonomically and ecologically different fungi exerted different selection pressures on ARGs originating from the same source. Test fungi supported different antibiotic resistance bacteria enriched in the mycosphere and even transported to distant places. The relative abundance of the tnpA gene decreased, for manure, along mycelial networks of all fungi. While the fungal strain NFC-5 enriched the intI1 gene more, opposite to two other fungi at the migration front compared with the inoculation point for both sources. Such data indicate the differential effect of different fungi to facilitate horizontal gene transfer potential under fungal selection pressure. Our study provides the evidence that fungi can contribute ARGs, host bacterial diversity and abundance, and such interactive microbial consortia have the potential to disseminate the resistance determinants from one place to another, thus increasing the ARGs exposure risk to humans.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-017-15660-7