Environmental Hosts of Trimethoprim Resistance Genes
Author Information
Author(s): Kneis David, Tskhay Faina, de la Cruz Barron Magali, Berendonk Thomas U
Primary Institution: Dresden University of Technology
Hypothesis
Can we identify the original environmental hosts of dfrB genes that confer resistance to trimethoprim?
Conclusion
Bacteria of the order Burkholderiales, particularly the family Comamonadaceae, are identified as the original environmental hosts of dfrB genes.
Supporting Evidence
- Environmental dfrB genes are abundant in both freshwater and soil microbiomes.
- High relative abundances of dfrB10 were observed in river sediments and soil.
- Statistical correlations were found between dfrB abundance and taxonomic composition of environmental bacterial communities.
Takeaway
Some bacteria in the environment can help resist antibiotics, and this study found that certain types of bacteria are the original sources of a specific resistance gene.
Methodology
The study combined long- and short-read metagenomic data to identify environmental hosts of dfrB genes.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the data due to reliance on publicly available metagenomic datasets.
Limitations
The study may not have identified all potential original hosts due to the lack of complete genome sequences for many environmental bacteria.
Participant Demographics
The study analyzed metagenomic samples from eight countries across four continents.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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