Conjugative transfer of multi-drug resistance IncN plasmids from environmental waterborne bacteria to Escherichia coli.

ABSTRACT: Watersheds contaminated with municipal, hospital, and agricultural residues are recognized as reservoirs for bacteria carrying antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The objective of this study was to determine the potential of environmental bacterial communities from the highly contaminated La Paz River basin in Bolivia to transfer ARGs to an Escherichia coli lab strain used as the recipient. Additionally, we tested ZnSO₄ and CuSO₄ at sub-inhibitory concentrations as stressors and analyzed transfer frequencies (TFs), diversity, richness, and acquired resistance profiles. The bacterial communities were collected from surface water in an urban site close to a hospital and near an agricultural area. High transfer potentials of a large set of resistance factors to

SUBMITTER: Guzman-Otazo J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9644689 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature