Nanoplastics and Antibiotic Resistance

Understanding Antibiotic Resistance (AR)

• Definition: AR is a type of antimicrobial resistance where bacteria evolve to withstand the effects of antibiotics, making infections harder to treat.
• Mechanism: It occurs primarily due to genetic changes that allow bacteria to neutralize or evade drugs designed to kill them.

Key Findings of the Study

• Impact on Gut Microbiome: Nanoplastics can transform Lactobacillus acidophilus, a beneficial gut microbiota, into a carrier of AR genes.
  • These AR genes can be transferred to pathogenic bacteria, exacerbating the AR crisis.
• Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT):
  • Polyethylene terephthalate bottle-derived nanoplastics (PBNPs) facilitate the transfer of AR genes from E. coli to Lactobacillus acidophilus via HGT.
  • HGT involves gene transfer across different bacterial species, unlike vertical gene transfer, which occurs from parent to offspring.
• Mechanisms of AR Gene Transfer:
  • Direct Transformation Pathway: PBNPs act as physical carriers, transporting AR plasmids across bacterial membranes. This facilitates direct gene transfer between bacteria.
  • OMV-Induced Transfer Pathway: PBNPs induce oxidative stress, triggering an increased secretion of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). These OMVs, loaded with AR genes, serve as potent vectors for gene transfer between bacterial species, including beneficial and pathogenic bacteria.

What Are Nanoplastics?

• Definition: Nanoplastics are solid particles of synthetic or heavily modified natural polymers, ranging in size from 1 nm to 1000 nm.
• Types:
  • Primary Nanoplastics: Intentionally produced for specific applications.
  • Secondary Nanoplastics: Generated from the fragmentation of larger plastics, often released unintentionally into the environment.

Q1: What are nanoparticles, and why are they important?

Nanoparticles are ultra-small particles with dimensions typically between 1 and 100 nanometers. Due to their tiny size and high surface area-to-volume ratio, they exhibit unique physical, chemical, and biological properties, making them valuable in diverse fields like medicine, electronics, environmental science, and materials engineering.

News: Nano-plastics identified as emerging agents in spread of antibiotic resistance.

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