Antibiotic resistance plasmid composition and architecture in Escherichia coli isolates from meat

Tania S Darphorn,Stanley Brul,Benno H Ter Kuile,Belinda B Koenders-Van Sint Anneland,Keshia Bel

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-81683-w

Abstract

Resistance plasmids play a crucial role in the transfer of antimicrobial resistance from the veterinary sector to human healthcare. In this study plasmids from foodborne Escherichia coli isolates with a known (ES)BL or tetracycline resistance were sequenced entirely with short- and long-read technologies to obtain insight into their composition and to identify driving factors for spreading. Resistant foodborne E. coli isolates often contained several plasmids coding for resistance to various antimicrobials. Most plasmids were large and contained multiple resistance genes in addition to the selected resistance gene. The majority of plasmids belonged to the IncI, IncF and IncX incompatibility groups. Conserved and variable regions could be distinguished in each of the plasmid groups. Clusters containing resistance genes were located in the variable regions. Tetracycline and (extended spectrum) beta-lactamase resistance genes were each situated in separate clusters, but sulphonamide, macrolide and aminoglycoside formed one cluster and lincosamide and aminoglycoside another. In most plasmids, addiction systems were found to maintain presence in the cell.

Highlights

Resistance plasmids play a crucial role in the transfer of antimicrobial resistance from the veterinary sector to human healthcare
Tetracycline resistance was present in 77% of E. coli strains isolated from a swine feeding facility[9] and chicken meat isolates in Germany showed high prevalences of (ES)BLs with the highest resistance percentage found for cefotaxime (74%)[10]
We attempt to find common elements and unifying principles in sets of plasmids found in E. coli resistant to antimicrobials

Summary

Introduction

Resistance plasmids play a crucial role in the transfer of antimicrobial resistance from the veterinary sector to human healthcare. Tetracycline resistance was present in 77% of E. coli strains isolated from a swine feeding facility[9] and chicken meat isolates in Germany showed high prevalences of (ES)BLs with the highest resistance percentage found for cefotaxime (74%)[10]. This antibiotic resistance can transfer from cattle directly to farmers[11,12] as well as from foodstuffs to human healthcare[13]. The conserved region harbors the incompatibility group/replication genes, the genes for transfer and sometimes those for maintenance of the p lasmid[19,20]. Food Safety Research, Wageningen University and Research, Postbus 230, 6700 AE Wageningen, The Netherlands. 3Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority, Office for Risk Assessment, Utrecht, The

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