Dietary zinc may reduce plasmid transfer in gut microbes

Genes responsible for antimicrobial resistance (AMR) can spread from microbe to microbe through circular genetic material called plasmids, and this lateral transfer occurs in the gut. This week in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, researchers in Iowa report that the transmission of some AMR plasmids may be inhibited by a readily available source-;dietary zinc supplements.

Their analysis showed that the zinc induced overexpression of replication genes-;so much so that it likely overloaded and inhibited the process. They also found that while zinc did seem to promote the genes responsible for conjugation, the mineral inhibited specific proteins required to build the bacterial structures used in conjugation. As a result, the overall process of transmission was stymied.

The next steps, Mellata said, include testing the transfer of plasmids with other AMR genes and experimenting with animal models to see if the lab results also hold in vivo. Ott noted that scientists' understanding of how bacteria interact and share genes in the gut is poorly understood, and future studies could help elucidate some of those mechanisms.

Mellata is particularly encouraged that such an inexpensive, readily available supplement-;zinc-;may play a role in addressing an emerging threat. "Sometimes the solution can be just to use the old stuff we already have in our closet," she said. "We just have to make the effort to test it."

Source:

American Society for Microbiology

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