Positive Contribution of Antimicrobial Biodegradation in Mitigating Conjugative Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes

The evolution and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are common global challenge. However, little is known about the regulatory role and mechanisms of antimicrobial biodegradation processes in the transmission of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. Here, we explored the effects of commonly used antimicrobials (chloramphenicol, sulfamethoxazole, triclocarban, trimethoprim, and parachlorometa-xylenol), their mixtures, and biodegradation processes on the conjugative transfer of plasmid-mediated ARGs from simple populations to complex communities. The findings show that antimicrobials can induce a series of reactions, including increased levels of reactive oxygen species, enhanced cell membrane permeability, and accelerated ATP synthesis, which in turn promote the horizontal transfer of ARGs. Importantly, antimicrobial biodegradation treatments significantly reduce the selective stress of antimicrobials, diminishing the transcription of key relevant genes and controlling the ARG conjugative transfer. Moreover, our findings emphasize the crucial role of antimicrobial biodegradation in reducing the abundance of high-risk pathogen microorganisms in actual community conjugative transference, thereby mitigating the negative health risks posed by antimicrobials. Our results highlight the positive contribution of antimicrobial biodegradation to impede the horizontal transfer of ARGs and provide a scientific basis for developing intervention strategies to manage and mitigate AMR development.