The combination of polystyrene microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria
Plastic pollution has become a common phenomenon. The process of plastic degradation is accompanied by the release of microplastics and plasticizers. However, the coexistence of microplastics and plasticizers on the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has not been reported until now. Here...
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132500017X |
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| author | Yu Li Xiaomei Liu Saisai Guo Lan Wang Jingchun Tang |
| author_facet | Yu Li Xiaomei Liu Saisai Guo Lan Wang Jingchun Tang |
| author_sort | Yu Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plastic pollution has become a common phenomenon. The process of plastic degradation is accompanied by the release of microplastics and plasticizers. However, the coexistence of microplastics and plasticizers on the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has not been reported until now. Here, polystyrene (PS) microplastics and plasticizer di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were used for combined treatment experiment and their effects and mechanisms on the transfer of ARGs between bacteria were explored. By increasing cell membrane permeability and the expression of correlated genes, the combined treatment group showed promoting effects on the transfer of ARGs than that of control, with the highest promoting effects observed at 1 mg/L PS and 0.1 mg/L DEHP, which was 3.0 times higher in ARGs transfer rate than that of control. It was found that PS and DEHP treatment alone also led to a higher conjugative transfer frequency, and the frequency of the combined treatment was lower than that of the corresponding single treatment group. This indicated that the effects of DEHP and microplastics on ARGs transfer might be antagonistic. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the transfer of ARGs affects bacterial ion binding, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism processes, while the expression of genes related to cell membrane permeability, DNA repair, bacterial drug resistance, and quorum sensing also increase. This study may provide new insights for explaining the combined effects of various pollutants in the environment on the spread of ARGs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-32a92721b1d94d198f4dc4b60289bdcb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0147-6513 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety |
| spelling | doaj-art-32a92721b1d94d198f4dc4b60289bdcb2025-01-23T05:26:05ZengElsevierEcotoxicology and Environmental Safety0147-65132025-01-01289117681The combination of polystyrene microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteriaYu Li0Xiaomei Liu1Saisai Guo2Lan Wang3Jingchun Tang4MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria/Tianjin Engineering Center of Environmental Diagnosis and Contamination Remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaCollege of Life Sciences, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, Shandong 273165, China; Corresponding authors.MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria/Tianjin Engineering Center of Environmental Diagnosis and Contamination Remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaMOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria/Tianjin Engineering Center of Environmental Diagnosis and Contamination Remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaMOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria/Tianjin Engineering Center of Environmental Diagnosis and Contamination Remediation, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Corresponding authors.Plastic pollution has become a common phenomenon. The process of plastic degradation is accompanied by the release of microplastics and plasticizers. However, the coexistence of microplastics and plasticizers on the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has not been reported until now. Here, polystyrene (PS) microplastics and plasticizer di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were used for combined treatment experiment and their effects and mechanisms on the transfer of ARGs between bacteria were explored. By increasing cell membrane permeability and the expression of correlated genes, the combined treatment group showed promoting effects on the transfer of ARGs than that of control, with the highest promoting effects observed at 1 mg/L PS and 0.1 mg/L DEHP, which was 3.0 times higher in ARGs transfer rate than that of control. It was found that PS and DEHP treatment alone also led to a higher conjugative transfer frequency, and the frequency of the combined treatment was lower than that of the corresponding single treatment group. This indicated that the effects of DEHP and microplastics on ARGs transfer might be antagonistic. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the transfer of ARGs affects bacterial ion binding, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism processes, while the expression of genes related to cell membrane permeability, DNA repair, bacterial drug resistance, and quorum sensing also increase. This study may provide new insights for explaining the combined effects of various pollutants in the environment on the spread of ARGs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132500017Xmicroplasticsdi (2-ethylhexyl) phthalateConjugative transferAntibiotic resistance genes |
| spellingShingle | Yu Li Xiaomei Liu Saisai Guo Lan Wang Jingchun Tang The combination of polystyrene microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety microplastics di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate Conjugative transfer Antibiotic resistance genes |
| title | The combination of polystyrene microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria |
| title_full | The combination of polystyrene microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria |
| title_fullStr | The combination of polystyrene microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria |
| title_full_unstemmed | The combination of polystyrene microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria |
| title_short | The combination of polystyrene microplastics and di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria |
| title_sort | combination of polystyrene microplastics and di 2 ethylhexyl phthalate promotes the conjugative transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between bacteria |
| topic | microplastics di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate Conjugative transfer Antibiotic resistance genes |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S014765132500017X |
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