Abstract
The continuous battle between humans and the multitude of pathogenic microorganisms in the environment has sought relief in the form of antimicrobials. But the counter attack by pathogenic organisms in the form of multidrug resistance, acquired by various mechanisms such as transformation, transposition, conjugation and transduction is a major reason for concern. Bacteriophages have contributed in a significant way to dissemination of genes encoding antimicrobial resistance, heavy metal resistance and virulence factors through the phenomenon of transduction. This review aims at compiling information about the different mechanisms by which bacteriophages aid in transferring genes involved in antimicrobial resistance to Escherischia coli in various environments.
Highlights
Transduction is a phenomenon by which genes are transferred from one bacterium to another, using viruses as vectors
This review aims at compiling information about the different mechanisms by which bacteriophages aid in transferring genes involved in antimicrobial resistance to Escherischia coli in various environments
One of the most glaring examples of gene transfer via transducing phages is the transfer of Shiga toxin genes from Shigella to E. coli, converting the recipient E. coli into stx toxin producers
Summary
Transduction is a phenomenon by which genes are transferred from one bacterium to another, using viruses as vectors These viruses called bacteriophages, infect a bacterial cell and their mode of reproduction is to harness the replicational, transcriptional, and translation machinery of the host bacterial cell to make numerous virions, or complete viral particles, including the viral DNA or RNA and the protein coat. The range of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) involved in the evolution and adaptation of bacteria through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is continuously updated and re-classified according to a better understanding of HGT mechanisms It has been proposed, for example, to unify the heterogeneous classes of MGEs, such as conjugative transposons, integrative “plasmids”, genomic islands, and numerous unclassified elements into integrative and conjugative elements [7]. The aim of this review is to highlight the role of bacteriophages in conferring antimicrobial resistance to E. coli and to document the genomic evolution of E. coli aided by the bacteriophages
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