Influence of Cultivation Conditions on the Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Vibrio cholera

The growth of antibiotic resistance necessitates studying the processes of acquisition and loss of genetic elements responsible for resistance. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of temperature, biofilm formation, and antibiotics on the efficiency of integrative conjugative element (ICE) transfer in Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor strains. Material and methods. Conjugative transfer of the ICE element from V. cholerae O1 El Tor strains to Escherichia сoli QD 5003 Rifr and V. cholera O1 El Tor 5879 Nalr cells was carried out in plankton and in biofilms on plastic and chitin at 25–37°C. The presence of ICE was determined by the integrase gene (int). Transconjugants were tested for antibiotic sensitivity and for the presence of resistance genes to tetracyclines (tetR), fluoroquinolones (qnrVC1), trimethoprim (dfrA1), and chloramphenicol (floR). Conjugation was induced by subinhibitory concentrations of ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and streptomycin. Results. Conjugation efficiency was higher in biofilms than in plankton, and lover with decreasing temperature. Streptomycin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole stimulated conjugation in chitinous biofilms. Doxycycline and ciprofloxacin increased conjugation frequency in plankton. Conclusion. Temperature and biofilm formation affect the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in V. cholerae. In complex biofilm conditions, compared to the planktonic form, there is an increase in the efficiency of conjugation between V. cholerae and other representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae family, which is more pronounced on the biotic substrate (chitin) and at 37°C. Subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics can both stimulate and suppress the conjugation process in biofilms. It is necessary to solve environmental problems associated with environmental pollution by plastic waste and antibiotics, and to observe dosages when prescribing etiotropic therapy, as well as to search for substances that suppress the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes or promote the elimination of existing mobile genetic elements responsible for antibiotic resistance.

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