Horizontal transfer of tet(M) and erm(B) resistance plasmids from food strains of Lactobacillus plantarum to Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 in the gastrointestinal tract of gnotobiotic rats

TY - JOUR

T1 - Horizontal transfer of tet(M) and erm(B) resistance plasmids from food strains of Lactobacillus plantarum to Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 in the gastrointestinal tract of gnotobiotic rats

AU - Jacobsen, Louise

AU - Wilcks, Andrea

AU - Hammer, Karin

AU - Huys, Geert

AU - Gevers, Dirk

AU - Andersen, Sigrid Rita

PY - 2007/1

Y1 - 2007/1

N2 - Two wild-type strains of Lactobacillus plantarum previously isolated from fermented dry sausages were analysed for their ability to transfer antibiotic resistance plasmids in the gastrointestinal tract. For this purpose, we used gnotobiotic rats as an in vivo model. Rats were initially inoculated with the recipient Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 at a concentration of 1010 CFU mL-1. After a week, either of the two donors L. plantarum DG 522 (harbouring a tet(M)-containing plasmid of c. 40 kb) or L. plantarum DG 507 [harbouring a tet(M)-containing plasmid of c. 10 kb and an erm(B)-containing plasmid of c. 8.5 kb] was introduced at concentrations in the range of 10 8-1010 CFU mL-1. Two days after donor introduction, the first transconjugants (TCs) were detected in faecal samples. The detected numbers of tet(M)-TCs were comparable for the two donors. In both cases, this number increased to c. 5 × 102 CFU g-1 faeces towards the end of the experiment. For erm(B)-TCs, the number was significantly higher and increased to c. 103 CFU g-1 faeces. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing in vivo transfer of wild-type antibiotic resistance plasmids from L. plantarum to E. faecalis.

AB - Two wild-type strains of Lactobacillus plantarum previously isolated from fermented dry sausages were analysed for their ability to transfer antibiotic resistance plasmids in the gastrointestinal tract. For this purpose, we used gnotobiotic rats as an in vivo model. Rats were initially inoculated with the recipient Enterococcus faecalis JH2-2 at a concentration of 1010 CFU mL-1. After a week, either of the two donors L. plantarum DG 522 (harbouring a tet(M)-containing plasmid of c. 40 kb) or L. plantarum DG 507 [harbouring a tet(M)-containing plasmid of c. 10 kb and an erm(B)-containing plasmid of c. 8.5 kb] was introduced at concentrations in the range of 10 8-1010 CFU mL-1. Two days after donor introduction, the first transconjugants (TCs) were detected in faecal samples. The detected numbers of tet(M)-TCs were comparable for the two donors. In both cases, this number increased to c. 5 × 102 CFU g-1 faeces towards the end of the experiment. For erm(B)-TCs, the number was significantly higher and increased to c. 103 CFU g-1 faeces. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing in vivo transfer of wild-type antibiotic resistance plasmids from L. plantarum to E. faecalis.

KW - Antibiotic resistance

KW - Gastrointestinal tract

KW - Gnotobiotic rats

KW - Horizontal gene transfer

KW - Lactobacillus plantarum

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=33845678684&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00212.x

DO - 10.1111/j.1574-6941.2006.00212.x

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 17014680

AN - SCOPUS:33845678684

SN - 0168-6496

VL - 59

SP - 158

EP - 166

JO - FEMS Microbiology Ecology

JF - FEMS Microbiology Ecology

IS - 1

ER -