article · PLoS ONE
Antimicrobial resistance poses a severe threat to global health, largely driven by mobile genetic elements that transfer resistance genes between bacterial species. An analysis of 3,095 whole-genome sequenced clinical isolates spanning more than 100 species from 59 diagnostic units worldwide examined how these elements drive resistance. The diversity and presence of mobile genetic elements and resistance genes differed across species, with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus harbouring the most diverse sets. While element composition varied across lineages due to vertical inheritance, 102 resistance-associated mobile genetic elements occurred across multiple species. Notably, four of these elements crossed bacterial phyla, indicating high transmissibility. Additionally, the investigation identified 21 conserved genomic regions and 103 resistance genes potentially mobilised by these elements, highlighting key genetic mechanisms that enable resistance to spread across unrelated clinical pathogens.
Antibiotic resistance makes common bacterial infections harder to treat and can render standard drugs ineffective. By mapping the specific genetic vehicles that carry resistance across species and phyla, this work clarifies how dangerous traits jump between different bacteria globally. Understanding these shared pathways is vital for monitoring outbreaks and designing better global interventions against rapidly spreading drug-resistant pathogens.
This research provides early-stage genomic intelligence that could inform the development of targeted diagnostics, surveillance platforms, or intervention strategies aimed at curbing resistance transmission. Prospective users include diagnostic developers, public health surveillance organisations, and biopharmaceutical researchers tracking high-risk mobile elements. However, the findings are fundamentally descriptive and observational, placing any practical applications at a basic, pre-development stage.
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OBJECTIVES: Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are a major global health threat. Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) have been crucial for spreading resistance to new bacterial species, including human pathogens. Understanding how MGEs promote resistance could be essential for prevention. Here we present an investigation of MGEs and their association with resistance genes in pathogenic bacteria collected from 59 diagnostic units during 2020, representing a snapshot of clinical infections from 35 counties worldwide. METHODS: We analysed 3,095 whole-genome sequenced clinical bacterial isolates from over 100 species to study the relationship between resistance genes and MGEs. The mobiliome of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were further examined for geographic differences, as these species were prevalent in all countries. Genes potentially mobilized by MGEs were identified by finding DNA segments containing MGEs and ARGs preserved in multiple species. Network analysis was used to investigate potential MGE interactions, host range, and transmission pathways. RESULTS: The prevalence and diversity of MGEs and resistance genes varied among species, with E. coli and S. aureus carrying more diverse elements. MGE composition differed between bacterial lineages, indicating strong vertical inheritance. 102 MGEs associated with resistance were found in multiple species, and four of these elements seemed to be highly transmissible as they were found in different phyla. We identified 21 genomic regions containing resistance genes potentially mobilized by MGEs, highlighting their importance in transmitting genes to clinically significant bacteria. CONCLUSION: Resistance genes are spread through various MGEs, including plasmids and transposons. Our findings suggest that multiple factors influence MGE prevalence and their transposability, thereby shaping the MGE population and transmission pathways. Some MGEs have a wider host range, which could make them more important for mobilizing genes. We also identified 103 resistance genes potentially mobilised by MGEs, which could increase their transmissibility to unrelated bacteria.
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DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0330304
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