Molecular identification of species comprising an unusual biofilm from a groundwater treatment plant

Gillings, Michael R.; Holley, Marita; Selleck, M.

doi:10.1017/s1479050507002098

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…On the basis of this analysis, samples from a groundwater treatment plant (8) and lake sediment were chosen for recovery of organisms carrying class 1 integrons. Pure cultures were screened for the presence of intI1 (31).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This plant was designed to remove and destroy volatile organic compounds from polluted groundwater and to treat the water for reuse on the Botany Industrial Park. The history and conformation of the plant have been described elsewhere (8). Fecal samples were obtained from healthy human volunteers under Macquarie University Ethics Review Committee approval reference HE01Apr2005-R03921.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Evolution of Class 1 Integrons and the Rise of Antibiotic Resistance

Gillings¹,

et al. 2008

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Class 1 integrons are central players in the worldwide problem of antibiotic resistance, because they can capture and express diverse resistance genes. In addition, they are often embedded in promiscuous plasmids and transposons, facilitating their lateral transfer into a wide range of pathogens. Understanding the origin of these elements is important for the practical control of antibiotic resistance and for exploring how lateral gene transfer can seriously impact on, and be impacted by, human activities. We now show that class 1 integrons can be found on the chromosomes of nonpathogenic soil and freshwater Betaproteobacteria. Here they exhibit structural and sequence diversity, an absence of antibiotic resistance genes, and a phylogenetic signature of lateral transfer. Some examples are almost identical to the core of the class 1 integrons now found in pathogens, leading us to conclude that environmental Betaproteobacteria were the original source of these genetic elements. Because these elements appear to be readily mobilized, their lateral transfer into human commensals and pathogens was inevitable, especially given that Betaproteobacteria carrying class 1 integrons are common in natural environments that intersect with the human food chain. The strong selection pressure imposed by the human use of antimicrobial compounds then ensured their fixation and global spread into new species.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evolution of Class 1 Integrons and the Rise of Antibiotic Resistance

Gillings¹,

et al. 2008

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“…Samples included stream sediments from Cowan Creek, North Turramurra (RA: Hardwick et al, 2008), biofilms from Mars Creek, North Ryde (BF: Gillings et al, 2008b), contaminated soil from Balmain (BAL; Yeates and Gillings, 1998), biofilms from a groundwater treatment plant in Botany (OR: Gillings et al, 2006) This element carries the terminal inverted repeats (IRi and IRt), a class 1 integron integrase gene (intI1), a primary recombination site (attI; small diamond), a cassette array (usually encoding antibiotic resistance) with each cassette bounded by secondary recombination sites (attC; circles), a cassette for quaternary ammonium compound resistance (qacE) and a transposition module (tni). (b) An environmental class 1 integron embedded into a bacterial chromosome carries the integrase gene, flanking regions and a cassette array that does not usually encode antibiotic resistance.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gene cassettes encoding resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds: a role in the origin of clinical class 1 integrons?

et al. 2008

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DNA sequencing, phylogenetic and mapping studies suggest that the class 1 integron found in pathogens arose when one member of the diverse family of environmental class 1 integrons became embedded into a Tn402 transposon. However, the timing of this event and the selective forces that first fixed the newly formed element in a bacterial lineage are still unknown. Biocides have a longer use in clinical practice than antibiotics, and a qac (quaternary ammonium compound) resistance gene, or remnant thereof, is a normal feature of class 1 integrons recovered from clinical isolates. Consequently, it is possible that the initial selective advantage was conferred by resistance to biocides, mediated by qac. Here, we show that diverse qac gene cassettes are a dominant feature of cassette arrays from environmental class 1 integrons, and that they occur in the absence of any antibiotic resistance gene cassettes. They are present in arrays that are dynamic, acquiring and rearranging gene cassettes within the arrays. The abundance of qac gene cassettes makes them a likely candidate for participation in the original insertion into Tn402, and as a source of a readily selectable phenotype. More broadly, the increasing use of qac and other biocides at the present time seems likely to promote the fixation of further novel genetic elements, with unpredictable and potentially adverse consequences for human health and agriculture.

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“…(Hughes et al 2007), with Trichoderma and Candida spp. being previously reported in biofilm samples from the groundwater treatment plant situated above the Botany Sands aquifer (Gillings et al 2007). This suggests tolerance to hydrocarbons, a capacity to exploit the hydrocarbon as a resource, or an opportunity to thrive in the absence of hydrocarbon sensitive competitors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Fungal Diversity of Shallow Aquifers in Southeastern Australia

Lategan

Torpy

Newby

et al. 2012

Geomicrobiology Journal

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The diversity of groundwater mycobiota remains relatively unknown and unchartered. As a first description of the fungal diversity in Australian aquifers we explored the distribution, abundance and diversity of fungal assemblages in samples from an alluvial (Bylong) and two sandy (Tomago; Botany Sands) unconfined aquifers in coastal catchments of NSW, Australia. A total of 89 strains were isolated with 54 Eumycotan taxa identified. The Botany Sands aquifer, with a history of industrial chlorinated hydrocarbon contamination along a hydraulic gradient, yielded the highest richness with 23 identifiable taxa, followed by Tomago with 17 and Bylong with 14. Despite differences in geology and land use, the aquifers shared similarities in their fungal assemblages with Penicillium, Rhodotorula, Paecilomyces and Cladosporium spp. common to all sites. Fungal assemblages were notably similar between the Bylong and Tomago samples and differed from the Botany samples in composition and heterogeneity. Taxa appeared to cluster into two main groups according to their association with environmental conditions; with the taxa common to the Botany aquifer correlating strongly with higher dissolved oxygen concentrations. The diversity and spatial heterogeneity of groundwater mycobiota appeared to be influenced by both anthropogenic contaminants and associated environmental variables. Based on the criteria of ubiquity, abundance and potential sensitivity to contamination, Penicillium and Rhodotorula spp. might be fitting taxa for monitoring groundwater quality.

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Molecular identification of species comprising an unusual biofilm from a groundwater treatment plant

Cited by 11 publications

References 26 publications

The Evolution of Class 1 Integrons and the Rise of Antibiotic Resistance

The Evolution of Class 1 Integrons and the Rise of Antibiotic Resistance

Gene cassettes encoding resistance to quaternary ammonium compounds: a role in the origin of clinical class 1 integrons?

Fungal Diversity of Shallow Aquifers in Southeastern Australia

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