Mobile antimicrobial resistance genes in probiotics
Absztrakt :
Even though people worldwide tend to consume probiotic products for their beneficial health effects on a daily basis, recently, concerns were outlined regarding the uptake and potential intestinal colonisation of the bacteria that they carry. These bacteria are capable of executinghorizontal gene transfer (HGT) which facilitates the movement of various genes, including antimi-crobial resistance genes (ARGs), among the donor and recipient bacterial populations. Within ourstudy, 47 shotgun sequencing datasets deriving from various probiotic samples (isolated strainsand metagenomes) were bioinformatically analysed. We detected more than 70 ARGs, out of whichrpoBmutants conferring resistance to rifampicin,tet(W/N/W)and potentially extended-spectrumbeta-lactamase (ESBL) codingTEM-116 were the most common. Numerous ARGs were associatedwith integrated mobile genetic elements, plasmids or phages promoting the HGT. Our findings raiseclinical and public health concerns as the consumption of probiotic products may lead to the transferof ARGs to human gut bacteria.