Infectious phage particles packaging antibiotic resistance genes found in meat products and chicken feces
Gómez-Gómez, Clara (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística)
Blanco-Picazo, Pedro (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística)
Brown-Jaque, Maryury (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística)
Quirós, Pablo (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística)
Rodríguez-Rubio, Lorena (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística)
Cerdà-Cuéllar, Marta (Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries. Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal)
Muniesa, Maite (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística)

Date:	2019
Abstract:	Bacteriophages can package part of their host's genetic material, including antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), contributing to a rapid dissemination of resistances among bacteria. Phage particles containing ARGs were evaluated in meat, pork, beef and chicken minced meat, and ham and mortadella, purchased in local retailer. Ten ARGs (bla, bla, bla, bla, bla, qnrA, qnrS, mecA, armA and sul1) were analyzed by qPCR in the phage DNA fraction. The genes were quantified, before and after propagation experiments in Escherichia coli, to evaluate the ability of ARG-carrying phage particles to infect and propagate in a bacterial host. According to microbiological parameters, all samples were acceptable for consumption. ARGs were detected in most of the samples after particle propagation indicating that at least part of the isolated phage particles were infectious, being sul1the most abundant ARG in all the matrices followed by β-lactamase genes. ARGs were also found in the phage DNA fraction of thirty-seven archive chicken cecal samples, confirming chicken fecal microbiota as an important ARG reservoir and the plausible origin of the particles found in meat. Phages are vehicles for gene transmission in meat that should not be underestimated as a risk factor in the global crisis of antibiotic resistance.
Grants:	Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad METI/BES-2017-081296
Note:	This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Innovación y Ciencia (AGL2016-75536-P), the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and the European regional fund (ERF), the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017SGR170) and the Centre de Referència en Biotecnologia (XeRBa). CERCA Programme from the Generalitat de Catalunya is also acknowledged. M.B.-J. has a grant from COLCIENCIAS (Republic of Colombia). P.B.-P. has a grant from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (BES-2017-081296). L.R.-R. is supported by the Beatriu de Pinos postdoctoral programme of the Government of Catalonia's Secretariat for Universities and Research of the Ministry of Economy and Knowledge.
Note:	Altres ajuts: MICITT/AGL2016-75536-P
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	Microorganismes ; Resistència als medicaments ; Pollastres
Published in:	Scientific reports, Vol. 9 Núm. 1 (january 2019) , p. 13281, ISSN 2045-2322

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49898-0
PMID: 31527758

11 p, 1.6 MB

The record appears in these collections:
Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Health sciences and biosciences > Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA-IRTA)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles