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Thermosensitive antibiotic resistance plasmids in enterobacteria

H W Smith, Z Parsell, P Green

    Journal of General Microbiology
    |November 1, 1978
    PubMed
    Summary

    Thermosensitive (ts) plasmids conferring antibiotic resistance are present in enterobacteria and environmental samples. These ts plasmids, often found in Klebsiella pneumoniae, mediate resistance to multiple antibiotics and heavy metals, with transfer rates dependent on temperature.

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    Area of Science:

    • Microbiology
    • Genetics
    • Environmental Science

    Background:

    • Antibiotic resistance is a growing global health concern.
    • Conjugative plasmids are key vectors for spreading antibiotic resistance genes among bacteria.
    • Thermosensitive (ts) plasmids, which lose function at higher temperatures, represent a unique subset of these mobile genetic elements.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of thermosensitive (ts) conjugative plasmids mediating antibiotic resistance in enterobacteria.
    • To determine the association of ts plasmids with specific antibiotic resistance profiles and heavy metal resistance.
    • To analyze the temperature-dependent transfer efficiency and other functional properties of these ts plasmids.

    Main Methods:

    • Screening of 775 conjugative plasmids from enterobacteria for thermosensitivity.

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  • Characterization of 73 isolated ts plasmids, including antibiotic resistance profiling, heavy metal resistance testing, and incompatibility grouping.
  • Assessment of plasmid transfer rates at various temperatures (15°C to 42°C).
  • Evaluation of plasmid effects on host growth rate and pathogenicity.

    • Main Results:

    • 3.1% (24/775) of conjugative plasmids were thermosensitive (ts), most frequently found in Klebsiella pneumoniae and in environmental water samples.
    • Over half of the 73 characterized ts plasmids conferred resistance to chloramphenicol and other antibiotics.
    • High prevalence of resistance to mercury (53.4%), arsenite (38.4%), and tellurite (79.5%) was observed, particularly in incompatibility group H2 plasmids.
    • Plasmid transfer was efficient at lower temperatures (22-28°C) but significantly reduced at 37°C, with distinct transfer patterns at 33°C.
    • Most ts plasmids were thermosensitive primarily for transfer, not replication, and had minimal impact on host growth or pathogenicity.

    Conclusions:

    • Thermosensitive conjugative plasmids are a notable component of antibiotic resistance in enterobacteria and persist in environmental reservoirs.
    • These plasmids frequently carry multiple antibiotic resistance genes and confer resistance to specific heavy metals, with group H2 plasmids showing a strong association with mercury, arsenite, and tellurite resistance.
    • The temperature-dependent transfer mechanism of these ts plasmids offers potential avenues for controlling their spread.