Abstract
An environment co-contaminated with metals and antibiotics ultimately exposes bacteria to these metals and antibiotics simultaneously. This study aims to explore the efficacy of sublethal concentrations of copper ions contaminated with tetracycline regarding antibiotic resistance in a sensitive strain of E. coli K12. The study proved that a copper ions and tetracycline co-contaminated environment could considerably enhance the mutation frequencies of chloramphenicol and polymyxin B resistance in antibiotic susceptible E. coli; however, the equivalent copper ions and tetracycline alone showed weaker effects. Results also demonstrated that an environment co-contaminated with relatively high sublethal concentrations of copper ion and tetracycline co-contaminated environment could induce much higher antibiotic resistance than the low sublethal and control groups. Whole-genome characterization results indicated that variability existed within the genotype and phenotype involved in antibiotic resistance. Additionally, the evolved resistant strains displayed hereditary resistance after 5 round culture cycles in LB broth over 5 days. Results implied that co-contamination with metals and antibiotics environment could strengthen resistance and contribute to the induction and dissemination of antibiotic resistance in metal and antibiotic co-contaminated environment.
Highlights
Antibiotics are the essential double-edged sword: one hand, antibiotics are a powerful weapon to life-saving, on the other hand, misuse and overuse urge bacteria development and dissemination of resistance (Zhu et al 2013; Lv et al 2014; Vikesland et al 2017)
Activating E. coli from storage tube with glycerol stock which stored in − 80 °C, expanding propagating on a Luria Bertani (LB) agar plates, cultured at 37 °C for 16 h
Copper ion and tetracycline co‐contaminations enhance the mutation frequency of polymyxin B and chloramphenicol Figure 2 indicates the effects on bacterial antibiotic resistance after exposing the E. coli strains to the sublethal concentrations of copper ion and tetracycline
Summary
Antibiotics are the essential double-edged sword: one hand, antibiotics are a powerful weapon to life-saving, on the other hand, misuse and overuse urge bacteria development and dissemination of resistance (Zhu et al 2013; Lv et al 2014; Vikesland et al 2017). Residual antibiotics from human and animal feces/wastes, hospital waste and pharmaceutical industries eventually contaminate the soil and water environments Soil fertilizer with animal waste and sewage sludge are causing antibiotic accumulation (Zhu et al 2013). Residual antibiotics could run away from the soil environment, get to the water ecosystem (Martinez 2008). Even at several 100-fold below the minimal inhibitory concentration of antibiotics could enrich antibiotic resistant bacteria (Gullberg et al 2011)
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