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Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Detection of Horizontal Gene Transfer Mediated by Natural Conjugative Plasmids in E. coli
Published on: March 24, 2023
Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-conferring transferable resistance to different antimicrobial agents in
R Franiczek1, B Krzyzanowska, I Dolna
1Department of Microbiology, University of Medicine in Wrocław, 50 368 Wrocław, Poland. romanf@mbio.am.wroc.pl
Abstract:
Twenty (18.5%) out of 108 clinical isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae responsible for bloodstream infection were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-positive in two screening tests, the double disk synergy test and the Oxoid Combination Disk method. Eleven out of the 20 ESBL-positive isolates transferred oxyimino-beta-lactam resistance to E. coli K12 C600 recipient strain with a frequency of 10(-8) - 10(-1) per donor cell. PCR analysis revealed that the majority of the transconjugants (9 of 11) express CTX-M-type beta-lactamases. Donor strains and their transconjugants displayed susceptibility patterns typical of ESBL producers. They were resistant to oxyimino-beta-lactams but susceptible to clavulanic acid and carbapenems. Resistances to aminoglycosides, tetracycline and mercuric chloride were, in some cases, co-transferred with oxyimino-beta-lactam resistance, suggesting that various resistance determinants were carried by the same conjugative plasmids.
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