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Sub-lethal concentrations of heavy metals induce antibiotic resistance via mutagenesis

Li, Xiangyang ; Gu, April Z. ; Zhang, Ye ; Xie, Bin LU ; Li, Dan and Chen, Jianmin (2019) In Journal of Hazardous Materials 369. p.9-16
Abstract

The emergence of antibiotic resistance is a growing problem worldwide. Numerous studies have demonstrated that heavy metals facilitate the spread of bacterial drug-resistance in the environment. However, the actions and mechanisms of metals at relatively low sub-lethal levels (far below the minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC]) on antibiotic resistance remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of sub-lethal levels of heavy metals [Ag(I), Zn(II), and Cu(II)] on antibiotic resistance and explored the underlying mechanisms. The results demonstrated that sub-lethal levels of metal ions increased the mutation rates and enriched de novo mutants that exhibited significant resistance to multiple antibiotics. The resistant... (More)

The emergence of antibiotic resistance is a growing problem worldwide. Numerous studies have demonstrated that heavy metals facilitate the spread of bacterial drug-resistance in the environment. However, the actions and mechanisms of metals at relatively low sub-lethal levels (far below the minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC]) on antibiotic resistance remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of sub-lethal levels of heavy metals [Ag(I), Zn(II), and Cu(II)] on antibiotic resistance and explored the underlying mechanisms. The results demonstrated that sub-lethal levels of metal ions increased the mutation rates and enriched de novo mutants that exhibited significant resistance to multiple antibiotics. The resistant mutants exhibited hereditary resistance after 5-day of sub-culture. Whole-genome analysis revealed distinct mutations in genes involved in multiple drug and drug-specific resistance, as well as genes that are not associated with antibiotic resistance to data. The number and identities of genetic changes were distinct for mutants induced by different metals. This study provides evidence and mechanistic insights into the induction of antibiotic resistance by sub-lethal concentrations of heavy metals, which may enhance the emergence of antibiotic resistance in various environments. More consideration and regulations should be given to this potential health risk for long-standing and harmful heavy metals.

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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Antibiotic resistance, Heavy metals, Mutation, Sub-lethal concentrations
in
Journal of Hazardous Materials
volume
369
pages
8 pages
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • pmid:30753956
  • scopus:85061184381
ISSN
0304-3894
DOI
10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.02.006
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b9bc67cd-5d65-490b-9553-8dd390b4588f
date added to LUP
2019-02-18 13:41:14
date last changed
2024-03-19 01:33:13
@article{b9bc67cd-5d65-490b-9553-8dd390b4588f,
  abstract     = {{<p>The emergence of antibiotic resistance is a growing problem worldwide. Numerous studies have demonstrated that heavy metals facilitate the spread of bacterial drug-resistance in the environment. However, the actions and mechanisms of metals at relatively low sub-lethal levels (far below the minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC]) on antibiotic resistance remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of sub-lethal levels of heavy metals [Ag(I), Zn(II), and Cu(II)] on antibiotic resistance and explored the underlying mechanisms. The results demonstrated that sub-lethal levels of metal ions increased the mutation rates and enriched de novo mutants that exhibited significant resistance to multiple antibiotics. The resistant mutants exhibited hereditary resistance after 5-day of sub-culture. Whole-genome analysis revealed distinct mutations in genes involved in multiple drug and drug-specific resistance, as well as genes that are not associated with antibiotic resistance to data. The number and identities of genetic changes were distinct for mutants induced by different metals. This study provides evidence and mechanistic insights into the induction of antibiotic resistance by sub-lethal concentrations of heavy metals, which may enhance the emergence of antibiotic resistance in various environments. More consideration and regulations should be given to this potential health risk for long-standing and harmful heavy metals.</p>}},
  author       = {{Li, Xiangyang and Gu, April Z. and Zhang, Ye and Xie, Bin and Li, Dan and Chen, Jianmin}},
  issn         = {{0304-3894}},
  keywords     = {{Antibiotic resistance; Heavy metals; Mutation; Sub-lethal concentrations}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{9--16}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Journal of Hazardous Materials}},
  title        = {{Sub-lethal concentrations of heavy metals induce antibiotic resistance via mutagenesis}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.02.006}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.02.006}},
  volume       = {{369}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}