Biosafety assessment of Acinetobacter strains isolated from the Three Gorges Reservoir region in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Yunjia Deng; Huihui Du; Mingfeng Tang; Qilong Wang; Qian Huang; Ying He; Fei Cheng; Feng Zhao; Dayong Wang; Guosheng Xiao

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-99274-0

Biosafety assessment of Acinetobacter strains isolated from the Three Gorges Reservoir region in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Sci Rep. 2021 Oct 5;11(1):19721. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-99274-0.

Authors

Yunjia Deng^{1

2}, Huihui Du^{1

3}, Mingfeng Tang^{1

2}, Qilong Wang^{1

3}, Qian Huang¹, Ying He^{1

2}, Fei Cheng^{1

2}, Feng Zhao^{1

2}, Dayong Wang¹, Guosheng Xiao^{4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ College of Biology and Food Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Wanzhou, Chongqing, China.
² Key Laboratory of Water Environment Evolution and Pollution Control in Three Gorges Reservoir, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Wanzhou, Chongqing, China.
³ Engineering Technology Research Center of Characteristic Biological Resources in Northeast Chongqing, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Wanzhou, Chongqing, China.
⁴ College of Biology and Food Engineering, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Wanzhou, Chongqing, China. xgs03@sanxiau.edu.cn.
⁵ Key Laboratory of Water Environment Evolution and Pollution Control in Three Gorges Reservoir, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Wanzhou, Chongqing, China. xgs03@sanxiau.edu.cn.
⁶ Engineering Technology Research Center of Characteristic Biological Resources in Northeast Chongqing, Chongqing Three Gorges University, Wanzhou, Chongqing, China. xgs03@sanxiau.edu.cn.

Abstract

Acinetobacter has been frequently detected in backwater areas of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) region. We here employed Caenorhabditis elegans to perform biosafety assessment of Acinetobacter strains isolated from backwater area in the TGR region. Among 21 isolates and 5 reference strains of Acinetobacter, exposure to Acinetobacter strains of AC1, AC15, AC18, AC21, A. baumannii ATCC 19606^T, A. junii NH88-14, and A. lwoffii DSM 2403^T resulted in significant decrease in locomotion behavior and reduction in lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans. In nematodes, exposure to Acinetobacter strains of AC1, AC15, AC18, AC21, A. baumannii, A. junii and A. lwoffii also resulted in significant reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Moreover, exposure to Acinetobacter isolates of AC1, AC15, AC18, and AC21 led to significant increase in expressions of both SOD-3::GFP and some antimicrobial genes (lys-1, spp-12, lys-7, dod-6, spp-1, dod-22, lys-8, and/or F55G11.4) in nematodes. The Acinetobacter isolates of AC1, AC15, AC18, and AC21 had different morphological, biochemical, phylogenetical, and virulence gene properties. Our results suggested that exposure risk of some Acinetobacter strains isolated from the TGR region exists for environmental organisms and human health. In addition, C. elegans is useful to assess biosafety of Acinetobacter isolates from the environment.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Acinetobacter / classification*
Acinetobacter / genetics
Acinetobacter / isolation & purification*
Animals
Caenorhabditis elegans / metabolism
Caenorhabditis elegans / microbiology*
Containment of Biohazards*
Disease Resistance / genetics
Host Microbial Interactions / genetics
Oxidative Stress
Phylogeny
Rivers*
Virulence / genetics
Water Microbiology*