title: Environmental factors responsible for the incidence of antibiotic resistance genes in pristine Crassostrea virginica reefs.
abstract: The occurrence of tetracycline resistance (TRG) and integrase (INT) genes were monitored in Crassostrea virginica oyster reefs of three pristine creeks (SINERR, Georgia, USA). Their profiles revealed 85% similarity with the TRG/INT profiles observed in the adjacent to the SINERR and contaminated Altamaha River estuary (Barkovskii et al., 2010). The TRG/INT spectra and incidence frequencies corresponded to the source of oceanic input and to run-offs from creeks' watersheds. The highest incidence frequencies and concentrations were observed in oysters. TRG/INT incidences correlated positively (Spearman Rank=0.88), and negatively correlated (-0.63 to -0.79) with creek salinity, conductivity, dissolved solids, and temperature. Coliform incidence positively correlated with temperature, and not with the TRG/INT incidence. The Altamaha River estuary was the primary TRG/INT source for the reefs with contributions from creek's watersheds. TRG/INT were carried by non-coliforms with a preference for low-to-temperate thermohaline environments coupled with bioaccumulation by oysters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, GA 31061, USA. andrei.barkovskii@gcsu.edu
authors.forename: Andrei L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Barkovskii
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Dorset
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: Clifford
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Teems
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000032:analysis; D049896:Crassostrea; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D063366:Estuaries; D005845:Georgia; D019426:Integrases / Q000235:genetics*; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D019426:Integrases