Transmissibility and Persistence of the Plasmid-Borne Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, Harbored in Poultry-Associated <i>E. coli</i>
Colistin, a last-resort antibiotic, is used to treat infections caused by multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Colistin resistance can emerge by acquiring the mobile colistin gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, usually plasmid borne. Studies on <i>mcr-1</i> and its transmissibility a...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-06-01
|
| Series: | Antibiotics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/6/774 |
| _version_ | 1797490703566110720 |
|---|---|
| author | Hassan Al Mana Alreem A. Johar Issmat I. Kassem Nahla O. Eltai |
| author_facet | Hassan Al Mana Alreem A. Johar Issmat I. Kassem Nahla O. Eltai |
| author_sort | Hassan Al Mana |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Colistin, a last-resort antibiotic, is used to treat infections caused by multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Colistin resistance can emerge by acquiring the mobile colistin gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, usually plasmid borne. Studies on <i>mcr-1</i> and its transmissibility are limited in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Here, we investigated the occurrence of <i>mcr-1</i> in 18 previously collected <i>Escherichia coli</i> isolates collected from chicken samples in Qatar; whole-genome sequencing was performed to determine the location (plasmid-borne and chromosomal) of <i>mcr-1</i> in the isolates. Additionally, we assessed the transmissibility of plasmid-borne <i>mcr-1</i> and its cost on fitness in <i>E. coli</i> biofilms. Our results showed that the <i>E. coli</i> isolates belonged to different sequence types, indicating that <i>mcr-1</i> was occurring in strains with diverse genetic backgrounds. In silico analysis and transformation assays showed that all the isolates carried <i>mcr-1</i> on plasmids that were mainly IncI2 types. All the <i>mcr-1</i> plasmids were found to be transmissible by conjugation. In biofilms, a significant reduction in the number of CFU (≈0.055 logs CFU/mL) and colistin resistance (≈2.19 log CFU/mL) was observed; however, the reduction in resistance was significantly larger, indicating that the plasmids incur a high fitness cost. To our knowledge, this is the first study that investigates <i>mcr-1</i> transmissibility and persistence in Qatar. Our findings highlight that <i>mcr</i> has the potential to spread colistin resistance to potentially disparate strains and niches in Qatar, posing a risk that requires intervention. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:35:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e30b5f57fe77490b8d1339150d91d949 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2079-6382 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:35:52Z |
| publishDate | 2022-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antibiotics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e30b5f57fe77490b8d1339150d91d9492023-11-23T15:17:04ZengMDPI AGAntibiotics2079-63822022-06-0111677410.3390/antibiotics11060774Transmissibility and Persistence of the Plasmid-Borne Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, Harbored in Poultry-Associated <i>E. coli</i>Hassan Al Mana0Alreem A. Johar1Issmat I. Kassem2Nahla O. Eltai3Biomedical Research Centre, Microbiology Department, Qatar University, Doha 2713, QatarResearch and Development Department, Barzan Holdings, Doha 7178, QatarGA Centre for Food Safety, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Georgia, Griffin, GA 30609, USABiomedical Research Centre, Microbiology Department, Qatar University, Doha 2713, QatarColistin, a last-resort antibiotic, is used to treat infections caused by multi-drug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Colistin resistance can emerge by acquiring the mobile colistin gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, usually plasmid borne. Studies on <i>mcr-1</i> and its transmissibility are limited in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Here, we investigated the occurrence of <i>mcr-1</i> in 18 previously collected <i>Escherichia coli</i> isolates collected from chicken samples in Qatar; whole-genome sequencing was performed to determine the location (plasmid-borne and chromosomal) of <i>mcr-1</i> in the isolates. Additionally, we assessed the transmissibility of plasmid-borne <i>mcr-1</i> and its cost on fitness in <i>E. coli</i> biofilms. Our results showed that the <i>E. coli</i> isolates belonged to different sequence types, indicating that <i>mcr-1</i> was occurring in strains with diverse genetic backgrounds. In silico analysis and transformation assays showed that all the isolates carried <i>mcr-1</i> on plasmids that were mainly IncI2 types. All the <i>mcr-1</i> plasmids were found to be transmissible by conjugation. In biofilms, a significant reduction in the number of CFU (≈0.055 logs CFU/mL) and colistin resistance (≈2.19 log CFU/mL) was observed; however, the reduction in resistance was significantly larger, indicating that the plasmids incur a high fitness cost. To our knowledge, this is the first study that investigates <i>mcr-1</i> transmissibility and persistence in Qatar. Our findings highlight that <i>mcr</i> has the potential to spread colistin resistance to potentially disparate strains and niches in Qatar, posing a risk that requires intervention.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/6/774colistin<i>mcr-1</i><i>E. coli</i>fitnesstransmissionbiofilm |
| spellingShingle | Hassan Al Mana Alreem A. Johar Issmat I. Kassem Nahla O. Eltai Transmissibility and Persistence of the Plasmid-Borne Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, Harbored in Poultry-Associated <i>E. coli</i> Antibiotics colistin <i>mcr-1</i> <i>E. coli</i> fitness transmission biofilm |
| title | Transmissibility and Persistence of the Plasmid-Borne Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, Harbored in Poultry-Associated <i>E. coli</i> |
| title_full | Transmissibility and Persistence of the Plasmid-Borne Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, Harbored in Poultry-Associated <i>E. coli</i> |
| title_fullStr | Transmissibility and Persistence of the Plasmid-Borne Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, Harbored in Poultry-Associated <i>E. coli</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Transmissibility and Persistence of the Plasmid-Borne Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, Harbored in Poultry-Associated <i>E. coli</i> |
| title_short | Transmissibility and Persistence of the Plasmid-Borne Mobile Colistin Resistance Gene, <i>mcr-1</i>, Harbored in Poultry-Associated <i>E. coli</i> |
| title_sort | transmissibility and persistence of the plasmid borne mobile colistin resistance gene i mcr 1 i harbored in poultry associated i e coli i |
| topic | colistin <i>mcr-1</i> <i>E. coli</i> fitness transmission biofilm |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6382/11/6/774 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hassanalmana transmissibilityandpersistenceoftheplasmidbornemobilecolistinresistancegeneimcr1iharboredinpoultryassociatediecolii AT alreemajohar transmissibilityandpersistenceoftheplasmidbornemobilecolistinresistancegeneimcr1iharboredinpoultryassociatediecolii AT issmatikassem transmissibilityandpersistenceoftheplasmidbornemobilecolistinresistancegeneimcr1iharboredinpoultryassociatediecolii AT nahlaoeltai transmissibilityandpersistenceoftheplasmidbornemobilecolistinresistancegeneimcr1iharboredinpoultryassociatediecolii |