Integrons in the Intestinal Microbiota as Reservoirs for Transmission of Antibiotic Resistance Genes

Pathogens

Anuradha Ravi¹  Ekaterina Avershina¹  Jane Ludvigsen¹  Trine M. L�ພ-Lund² 

[1] Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food science department (IKBM), Campus Ås, Ås 1432, Norway; E-Mails:;Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Campus Adamstuen, Oslo 0454, Norway; E-Mail:

关键词: microbiota;    antibiotic resistance genes;    integrons;    commensal flora;   

DOI  :  10.3390/pathogens3020238

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The human intestinal microbiota plays a major beneficial role in immune development and resistance to pathogens. The use of antibiotics, however, can cause the spread of antibiotic resistance genes within the resident intestinal microbiota. Important vectors for this are integrons. This review therefore focuses on the integrons in non-pathogenic bacteria as a potential source for the development and persistence of multidrug resistance. Integrons are a group of genetic elements which are assembly platforms that can capture specific gene cassettes and express them. Integrons in pathogenic bacteria have been extensively investigated, while integrons in the intestinal microbiota have not yet gained much attention. Knowledge of the integrons residing in the microbiota, however, can potentially aid in controlling the spread of antibiotic resistance genes to pathogens.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.