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[Resistance to organic tin compounds mediated by plasmids of bacteria of Pseudomonas genus]

L A Anisimova, A L Andreeva, A M Boronin

    Antibiotiki I Meditsinskaia Biotekhnologiia = Antibiotics and Medical Biotechnology
    |May 1, 1985
    PubMed

    Insights

    Antibiotic resistance plasmids in bacteria like E. coli and P. aeruginosa, and biodegradation plasmids in P. putida, significantly increase resistance to organic tin compounds. This suggests a shared genetic system for resistance to both tellurite and tin compounds in these plasmids.

    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Molecular Biology
    • Environmental Science

    Background:

    • Investigating microbial resistance mechanisms is crucial for understanding environmental pollutant degradation and antibiotic resistance.
    • Organic tin compounds and potassium tellurite are environmental contaminants with known toxic effects on bacteria.
    • Plasmids are known to carry genes conferring resistance to various toxic substances, including antibiotics and heavy metals.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To determine the effect of antibiotic resistance plasmids and biodegradation plasmids on bacterial resistance to organic tin compounds.
    • To investigate the genetic basis of resistance to organic tin compounds in relation to other known resistance mechanisms.

    Main Methods:

    • Studied resistance of bacterial strains (P. aeruginosa, E. coli, P. putida) carrying specific plasmids to organic tin compounds.
    • Utilized mutant plasmid analysis to identify genetic systems responsible for resistance.
    • Assessed plasmid incompatibility group and co-resistance to potassium tellurite.

    Main Results:

    • Five resistance plasmids and the CAM biodegradation plasmid from Pseudomonas increased bacterial resistance to triethylstannylsuccinylimide and triethylstannylmaleinimide by 3-4 fold.
    • All investigated plasmids belonged to the P-2 incompatibility group and conferred resistance to potassium tellurite.
    • Mutant plasmids losing resistance to both potassium tellurite and organic tin compounds indicated a shared genetic determinant.

    Conclusions:

    • The presence of antibiotic resistance plasmids and biodegradation plasmids can enhance bacterial tolerance to organic tin compounds.
    • A common genetic system likely governs resistance to both potassium tellurite and organic tin compounds within these P-2 incompatibility group plasmids.
    • This finding has implications for understanding co-selection of resistance in microbial communities exposed to multiple contaminants.

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