Comprehensive insights into antibiotic resistance gene migration in microalgal-bacterial consortia: Mechanisms, factors, and perspectives

Shengnan Li; Xue Li; Haixing Chang; Nianbing Zhong; Nanqi Ren; Shih-Hsin Ho

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166029

Comprehensive insights into antibiotic resistance gene migration in microalgal-bacterial consortia: Mechanisms, factors, and perspectives

Sci Total Environ. 2023 Nov 25:901:166029. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166029. Epub 2023 Aug 2.

Authors

Shengnan Li¹, Xue Li¹, Haixing Chang², Nianbing Zhong³, Nanqi Ren¹, Shih-Hsin Ho⁴

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China.
² College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China.
³ Liangjiang International College, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 401135, China.
⁴ State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province 150090, China. Electronic address: stephen6949@hit.edu.cn.

PMID: 37541493
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.166029

Abstract

With the overuse of antibiotics, antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) prevalence is gradually increasing. ARGs are considered emerging contaminants that are broadly concentrated and dispersed in most aquatic environments. Recently, interest in microalgal-bacterial biotreatment of antibiotics has increased, as eukaryotes are not the primary target of antimicrobial drugs. Moreover, research has shown that microalgal-bacterial consortia can minimize the transmission of antibiotic resistance in the environment. Unfortunately, reviews surrounding the ARG migration mechanism in microalgal-bacterial consortia have not yet been performed. This review briefly introduces the migration of ARGs in aquatic environments. Additionally, an in-depth summary of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between cyanobacteria and bacteria and from bacteria to eukaryotic microalgae is presented. Factors influencing gene transfer in microalgal-bacterial consortia are discussed systematically, including bacteriophage abundance, environmental conditions (temperature, pH, and nutrient availability), and other selective pressure conditions including nanomaterials, heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Furthermore, considering that quorum sensing could be involved in DNA transformation by affecting secondary metabolites, current knowledge surrounding quorum sensing regulation of HGT of ARGs is summarized. In summary, this review gives valuable information to promote the development of practical and innovative techniques for ARG removal by microalgal-bacterial consortia.

Keywords: Cyanobacteria; Horizontal gene transfer; Microalgae; Mobile genetic elements; Quorum sensing.

Publication types

Review