DNA Traffic in the Environment and Antimicrobial Resistance

Abstract

The seemingly insurmountable problem of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in clinical, food, and agricultural environments requires considerable efforts to be made in order to mitigate associated risks. Understanding the dynamics of the multitude of processes contributing towards AMR development, spread, and persistence in microbial populations will prove paramount in resolving these problems. Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as plasmids, transposons/insertion sequences, and bacteriophages contribute towards horizontal gene transfer of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. ARGs can be transferred from naturally resistant, ubiquitously distributed microbial populations acting as reservoirs for these genes. When ARGs are introduced into pathogens or opportunistic pathogens, these microorganisms subsequently become problematic when introduced into human/animal populations. The role of MGEs in the evolution and emergence of pathogens of significant clinical and veterinary importance is well-documented. From a microbiological perspective, improving our knowledge of MGE-mediated AMR transmission by the application of traditional microbial culture techniques, molecular biology methods, and genomic/metagenomic/transcriptomic approaches will enhance our understanding of the flow of genetic information in bacteria. Mathematical modelling will prove to be integral to developing testable hypotheses regarding gene transfer rates, the consequences of positive selection, persistence in the absence of selection, and the fitness cost of gaining/losing resistance