Synthetic multi-antibiotic resistant plasmids in plant-associated bacteria from agricultural soils

BRAMBILLA, SILVINA; FRARE, ROMINA; STRITZLER, MARGARITA; SOTO, GABRIELA; BERINI, CAROLINA; JOZEFKOWICZ, CINTIA; AYUB, NICOLÁS

Journal of Global Antimicrobial Resistance

elsevier

Año: 2020

2213-7165

Objectives: Unlike higher organisms such as domestic animals and cultivated plants, which display a robust reproductive isolation and limited dispersal ability, microbes exhibit an extremely promiscuous gene flow and can rapidly disperse across the planet by multiple ways. Thus, microbial plasmids, including synthetic replicons, containing antibiotic resistance genes are a seriousrisk to public health.In this short communication, we explored the presence of synthetic elements in alfalfa symbionts(Ensifer melilotistrains) from agricultural soils.Methods: A total of148 E.melilotiisolates from alfalfa plants growing under field conditionswere collected from January 2015 to June 2019.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed under laboratory conditions. We identified five kanamycin-resistant E.melilotistrains(named K1-K5).Whole genome sequencing analysis and conjugationswere used to identify and study theplasmidsof K strains.Results: We found that the genomes of Kstrainscontain ampicillin, kanamycin and tetracycline resistance genes, the reporter gene lacZfrom Escherichia coliand multiple cloning sites.These sequences were found within