Natural Genetic Transformation of Clinical Isolates of Escherichia Coli in Urine and Water

Overview

Journal Appl Environ Microbiol

Specialties Environmental Health
Microbiology

Date 2002 Jan 5

PMID 11772660

Citations 16

Authors

Markus Woegerbauer

Bernard Jenni

Florian Thalhammer

Wolfgang Graninger

Heinz Burgmann

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Transfer of plasmid-borne antibiotic resistance genes in Escherichia coli wild-type strains is possible by transformation under naturally occurring conditions in oligotrophic, aquatic environments containing physiologic concentrations of calcium. In contrast, transformation is suppressed in nitrogen-rich body fluids like urine, a common habitat of uropathogenic strains. Current knowledge indicates that transformation of these E. coli wild-type strains is of no relevance for the acquisition of resistance in this clinically important environment.

Citing Articles

Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Differently Processed Smoothies and Fresh Produce from Austria.

Galazka S, Vigl V, Kuffner M, Dielacher I, Spettel K, Kriz R Foods. 2025; 14(1.

PMID: 39796301 PMC: 11720611. DOI: 10.3390/foods14010011.

Detecting Enteric Pathogens in Low-Risk Drinking Water in Dhaka, Bangladesh: An Assessment of the WHO Water Safety Categories.

Saima S, Ferdous J, Sultana R, Rashid R, Almeida S, Begum A Trop Med Infect Dis. 2023; 8(6).

PMID: 37368739 PMC: 10302631. DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8060321.

Subminimal inhibitory concentrations of ampicillin and mechanical stimuli cooperatively promote cell-to-cell plasmid transformation in .

Kasagaki S, Hashimoto M, Maeda S Curr Res Microb Sci. 2022; 3:100130.

PMID: 35909620 PMC: 9325862. DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2022.100130.

Genomics and pathotypes of the many faces of Escherichia coli.

Geurtsen J, de Been M, Weerdenburg E, Zomer A, McNally A, Poolman J FEMS Microbiol Rev. 2022; 46(6).

PMID: 35749579 PMC: 9629502. DOI: 10.1093/femsre/fuac031.

as a Potential Reservoir of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes on the Island of O'ahu.

Washington M, Taitt C, Blythe J, Hering K, Barnhill J Hawaii J Health Soc Welf. 2021; 80(1):9-14.

PMID: 33490961 PMC: 7811132.

References

Davies J . Inactivation of antibiotics and the dissemination of resistance genes. Science. 1994; 264(5157):375-82. DOI: 10.1126/science.8153624. View

Bauer F, Hertel C, Hammes W . Transformation of Escherichia coli in foodstuffs. Syst Appl Microbiol. 1999; 22(2):161-8. DOI: 10.1016/S0723-2020(99)80061-7. View

Solomon J, Grossman A . Who's competent and when: regulation of natural genetic competence in bacteria. Trends Genet. 1996; 12(4):150-5. DOI: 10.1016/0168-9525(96)10014-7. View

Mercer D, Scott K, Glover L, Flint H . Fate of free DNA and transformation of the oral bacterium Streptococcus gordonii DL1 by plasmid DNA in human saliva. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1999; 65(1):6-10. PMC: 90975. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.65.1.6-10.1999. View

Yaron S, Kolling G, Simon L, Matthews K . Vesicle-mediated transfer of virulence genes from Escherichia coli O157:H7 to other enteric bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2000; 66(10):4414-20. PMC: 92318. DOI: 10.1128/AEM.66.10.4414-4420.2000. View

Neu H . The crisis in antibiotic resistance. Science. 1992; 257(5073):1064-73. DOI: 10.1126/science.257.5073.1064. View

Mendez F, Mendoza M, Llaneza J, Hardisson C . Transfer of drug-resistance plasmids by conjugation from nosocomial strains of Serratia marcescens to Escherichia coli in biological fluids of human origin. J Hosp Infect. 1982; 3(3):285-92. DOI: 10.1016/0195-6701(82)90047-0. View

van Die I, Bergmans H, HOEKSTRA W . Transformation in Escherichia coli: studies on the role of the heat shock in induction of competence. J Gen Microbiol. 1983; 129(3):663-70. DOI: 10.1099/00221287-129-3-663. View

Ottolenghi-Nightingale E . Competence of pneumococcal isolates and bacterial transformations in man. Infect Immun. 1972; 6(5):785-92. PMC: 422611. DOI: 10.1128/iai.6.5.785-792.1972. View

10.

Norris V, Chen M, Goldberg M, Voskuil J, McGurk G, Holland I . Calcium in bacteria: a solution to which problem?. Mol Microbiol. 1991; 5(4):775-8. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.1991.tb00748.x. View

11.

Ottolenghi-Nightingale E . Spontaneously occurring bacterial transformations in mice. J Bacteriol. 1969; 100(1):445-52. PMC: 315412. DOI: 10.1128/jb.100.1.445-452.1969. View

12.

Castuma C, Huang R, Kornberg A, Reusch R . Inorganic polyphosphates in the acquisition of competence in Escherichia coli. J Biol Chem. 1995; 270(22):12980-3. DOI: 10.1074/jbc.270.22.12980. View

13.

Zenz K, Neve H, Geis A, Heller K . Bacillus subtilis develops competence for uptake of plasmid DNA when growing in milk products. Syst Appl Microbiol. 1998; 21(1):28-32. DOI: 10.1016/S0723-2020(98)80005-2. View

14.

Inoue H, Nojima H, Okayama H . High efficiency transformation of Escherichia coli with plasmids. Gene. 1990; 96(1):23-8. DOI: 10.1016/0378-1119(90)90336-p. View

15.

Huang R, Reusch R . Genetic competence in Escherichia coli requires poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate/calcium polyphosphate membrane complexes and certain divalent cations. J Bacteriol. 1995; 177(2):486-90. PMC: 176617. DOI: 10.1128/jb.177.2.486-490.1995. View

16.

Berg G, Trevors J . Bacterial conjugation between Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas spp. donor and recipient cells in soil. J Ind Microbiol. 1990; 5(2-3):79-84. DOI: 10.1007/BF01573856. View

17.

Dubnau D . DNA uptake in bacteria. Annu Rev Microbiol. 1999; 53:217-44. DOI: 10.1146/annurev.micro.53.1.217. View

18.

Conant J, SAWYER W . Transformation during mixed pneumococcal infection of mice. J Bacteriol. 1967; 93(6):1869-75. PMC: 276704. DOI: 10.1128/jb.93.6.1869-1875.1967. View

19.

Baur B, Hanselmann K, Schlimme W, Jenni B . Genetic transformation in freshwater: Escherichia coli is able to develop natural competence. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1996; 62(10):3673-8. PMC: 168176. DOI: 10.1128/aem.62.10.3673-3678.1996. View

20.

Mercer D, Melville C, Scott K, Flint H . Natural genetic transformation in the rumen bacterium Streptococcus bovis JB1. FEMS Microbiol Lett. 1999; 179(2):485-90. DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-6968.1999.tb08767.x. View