antibiotic resistance
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceLongitudinal Comparison of Bacterial Diversity and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in New York City SewageUrban sewage or wastewater is a diverse source of bacterial growth, as well as a hot spot for the development of environmental antibiotic resistance, which can in turn influence the health of the residents of the city. As part of a larger study to characterize the urban New York City microbial metagenome, we collected raw sewage samples representing three seasonal time points spanning the five boroughs of NYC and went on to characterize...
Research Article | Host-Microbe BiologyComparative Genome Analysis of an Extensively Drug-Resistant Isolate of Avian Sequence Type 167 Escherichia coli Strain Sanji with Novel In Silico Serotype O89b:H9E. coli strain Sanji is the first sequenced and analyzed genome of the recently emerged pathogenic XDR strains with sequence type ST167 and novel in silico serotype O89b:H9. Comparison of the genomes of Sanji with other ST167 strains revealed distinct sets of different plasmids, mobile IS elements, and antibiotic resistance genes in each genome, indicating...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceMobile Compensatory Mutations Promote Plasmid SurvivalUnderstanding the evolutionary forces that maintain antibiotic resistance genes in a population, especially when antibiotics are not used, is an important problem for human health and society. The most common platform for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes is conjugative plasmids. Experimental studies showed that mutations located on the plasmid or the bacterial chromosome can reduce the costs plasmids impose on their...
Research Article | Applied and Environmental ScienceAntimicrobial Chemicals Associate with Microbial Function and Antibiotic Resistance IndoorsThe ubiquitous use of antimicrobial chemicals may have undesired consequences, particularly on microbes in buildings. This study shows that the taxonomy and function of microbes in indoor dust are strongly associated with antimicrobial chemicals—more so than any other feature of the buildings. Moreover, we identified links between antimicrobial chemical concentrations in dust and culturable bacteria that are cross-resistant to three...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceLoss of Bacitracin Resistance Due to a Large Genomic Deletion among Bacillus anthracis StrainsAnthrax is caused by Bacillus anthracis, an endospore-forming soil bacterium. The genetic diversity of B. anthracis is known to be low compared with that of Bacillus species. In this study, we performed whole-genome sequencing of...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceBlack Queen Evolution and Trophic Interactions Determine Plasmid Survival after the Disruption of the Conjugation NetworkBacterial antibiotic resistance is often a part of mobile genetic elements that move from one bacterium to another. By interfering with the horizontal movement and the maintenance of these elements, it is possible to remove the resistance from the population. Here, we show that a so-called plasmid-dependent bacteriophage causes the initially resistant bacterial population to become susceptible to antibiotics. However, this effect is...
Research Article | Therapeutics and PreventionBacteriophages Synergize with the Gut Microbial Community To Combat SalmonellaAntibiotic-resistant bacteria are a global threat. Therefore, alternative approaches for combatting bacteria, especially antibiotic-resistant bacteria, are urgently needed. Using a human gut microbiota model, we demonstrate that bacteriophages (phages) are able to substantially decrease pathogenic Salmonella without perturbing the microbiota. Conversely, antibiotic treatment leads to the eradication of close to all commensal...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceQuantifying the Evolutionary Conservation of Genes Encoding Multidrug Efflux Pumps in the ESKAPE Pathogens To Identify Antimicrobial Drug TargetsIncreasing rates of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection are one of the most pressing contemporary global health concerns. The ESKAPE pathogen group represents the leading cause of these infections, and upregulation of efflux pump expression is a significant mechanism of resistance in these pathogens. This has resulted in substantial interest in the development of efflux pump inhibitors to combat antibiotic-resistant infections;...
Editor's Pick Research Article | Molecular Biology and PhysiologyTranscriptome Profiling Reveals Interplay of Multifaceted Stress Response in Escherichia coli on Exposure to Glutathione and CiprofloxacinThe emergence and spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial strains have serious medical and clinical consequences. In addition, the rate of discovery of new therapeutic antibiotics has been inadequate in last few decades. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin represent a precious therapeutic resource in the fight against bacterial pathogens. However, these antibiotics have been gradually losing their appeal due to the...
Research Article | Ecological and Evolutionary ScienceSignatures of Selection at Drug Resistance Loci in Mycobacterium tuberculosisMycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), is a significant burden on global health. Antibiotic treatment imposes strong selective pressure on M. tuberculosis populations. Identifying the mutations that cause drug resistance in...