title: Transfer of a conjugative transposon, Tn5397 in a model oral biofilm.
abstract: A tetracycline resistance profile was established from a microcosm dental plaque in a constant depth film fermenter. The fermenter was inoculated with a Bacillus subtilis strain which contained the conjugative transposon, Tn5397, which confers tetracycline resistance upon its host. After 6 hour and 24 hour the tetracycline resistance profile of the biofilm was redetermined and a tetracycline resistant Streptococcus species was isolated. A molecular analysis of this strain confirmed that Tn5397 was present in the genomic DNA of the isolate. These data represent the first report, to our knowledge, of intergeneric transfer of a conjugative transposon in a mixed species biofilm and demonstrates the ability of conjugative transposons to disseminate antibiotic resistance genes in a mixed species environment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Eastman Dental Institute for Oral Health Care Sciences, University College London, UK.
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pratten
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mullany
mesh_terms: D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018441:Biofilms; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D003227:Conjugation, Genetic; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000382:microbiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004251:DNA Transposable Elements