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Updated: Oct 6, 2025

Testing the Role of Multicopy Plasmids in the Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance
Published on: May 2, 2018
Increase of antibiotic resistance genes via horizontal transfer in single- and two-chamber microbial electrolysis
Zhao-Bing Guo1, Wen-Long Sun1, Xiao-Jun Zuo1
1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Atmospheric Environment Monitoring and Pollution Control (AEMPC), Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CIC-AEET), Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210044, China.
Abstract:
Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) have been applied for antibiotic degradation but simultaneously induced antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), thus representing a risk to disseminate antibiotic resistance. However, few studies were on the potential and risk of ARGs transmission in the MECs. This work assessed conjugative transfer of ARGs under three tested conditions (voltages, cell concentration, and donor/recipient ratio) in both single- and two-chamber MECs. The results indicated that voltages (> 0.9 V) facilitated the horizontal frequency of ARGs in the single-chamber MECs and anode chamber of two-chamber MECs. The donor cell number (donor/recipient ratio was 2:1) increased the transfer frequency of ARGs. Furthermore, voltages ranged from 0.9 to 2.5 V increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell membrane permeability in MECs. These findings offer new insights into the roles of ARG transfer under different applied voltages in the MECs, which should not be ignored for horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance.
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