Selection for antimicrobial resistance is reduced when embedded in a natural microbial community

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Uli Klümper - , CLES & ESI, University of Exeter (Author)
  • Mario Recker - , University of Exeter (Author)
  • Lihong Zhang - , University of Exeter (Author)
  • Xiaole Yin - , The University of Hong Kong (Author)
  • Tong Zhang - , The University of Hong Kong (Author)
  • Angus Buckling - , University of Exeter (Author)
  • William H. Gaze - , University of Exeter (Author)

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance has emerged as one of the most pressing, global threats to public health. In single-species experiments selection for antibiotic resistance occurs at very low antibiotic concentrations. However, it is unclear how far these findings can be extrapolated to natural environments, where species are embedded within complex communities. We competed isogenic strains of Escherichia coli, differing exclusively in a single chromosomal resistance determinant, in the presence and absence of a pig faecal microbial community across a gradient of antibiotic concentration for two relevant antibiotics: gentamicin and kanamycin. We show that the minimal selective concentration was increased by more than one order of magnitude for both antibiotics when embedded in the community. We identified two general mechanisms were responsible for the increase in minimal selective concentration: an increase in the cost of resistance and a protective effect of the community for the susceptible phenotype. These findings have implications for our understanding of the evolution and selection of antibiotic resistance, and can inform future risk assessment efforts on antibiotic concentrations.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2927-2937
Number of pages11
JournalISME Journal
Volume13
Issue number12
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2019
Peer-reviewedYes
Externally publishedYes

External IDs

PubMed 31384011
ORCID /0000-0002-4169-6548/work/142247371

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Library keywords