Investigation of mobile genetic elements and their association with antibiotic resistance genes in clinical pathogens worldwide
Issued Date
2025-08-01
Resource Type
eISSN
19326203
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105013246707
Journal Title
Plos One
Volume
20
Issue
8 August
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Plos One Vol.20 No.8 August (2025)
Suggested Citation
Johansson M.H.K., Petersen T.N., Nag S., Lagermann T.M.R., Birkedahl L.E.K., Tafaj S., Bradbury S., Collignon P., Daley D., Dougnon V., Fabiyi K., Coulibaly B., Dembélé R., Magloire N., Ouindgueta I.J., Hossain Z.Z., Begoum A., Donchev D., Diggle M., Turnbull L.A., Lévesque S., Berlinger L., Søgaard K.K., Guevara P.D., Duarte C., Maikanti P., Amlerova J., Drevinek P., Tkadlec J., Dilas M., Kaasch A., Westh H.T., Bachtarzi M.A., Amhis W., Salazar C.E.S., Villacis J.E., Lúzon M.A.D., Palau D.B., Duployez C., Paluche M., Asante-Sefa S., Møller M., Ip M., Mareković I., Pál-Sonnevend A., Cocuzza C.E., Dambrauskiene A., Macanze A., Cossa A., Mandomando I., Nwajiobi-Princewill P., Okeke I.N., Kehinde A.O., Adebiyi I., Akintayo I., Popoola O., Onipede A., Blomfeldt A., Nyquist N.E., Bocker K., Ussher J., Ali A., Ullah N., Khan H., Gustafson N.W., Jarrar I., Al-Hamad A., Luvira V., Paveenkittiporn W., Baran I., Mwansa J.C.L., Sikakwa L., Yamba K., Aarestrup F.M. Investigation of mobile genetic elements and their association with antibiotic resistance genes in clinical pathogens worldwide. Plos One Vol.20 No.8 August (2025). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0330304 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/111766
Title
Investigation of mobile genetic elements and their association with antibiotic resistance genes in clinical pathogens worldwide
Author(s)
Johansson M.H.K.
Petersen T.N.
Nag S.
Lagermann T.M.R.
Birkedahl L.E.K.
Tafaj S.
Bradbury S.
Collignon P.
Daley D.
Dougnon V.
Fabiyi K.
Coulibaly B.
Dembélé R.
Magloire N.
Ouindgueta I.J.
Hossain Z.Z.
Begoum A.
Donchev D.
Diggle M.
Turnbull L.A.
Lévesque S.
Berlinger L.
Søgaard K.K.
Guevara P.D.
Duarte C.
Maikanti P.
Amlerova J.
Drevinek P.
Tkadlec J.
Dilas M.
Kaasch A.
Westh H.T.
Bachtarzi M.A.
Amhis W.
Salazar C.E.S.
Villacis J.E.
Lúzon M.A.D.
Palau D.B.
Duployez C.
Paluche M.
Asante-Sefa S.
Møller M.
Ip M.
Mareković I.
Pál-Sonnevend A.
Cocuzza C.E.
Dambrauskiene A.
Macanze A.
Cossa A.
Mandomando I.
Nwajiobi-Princewill P.
Okeke I.N.
Kehinde A.O.
Adebiyi I.
Akintayo I.
Popoola O.
Onipede A.
Blomfeldt A.
Nyquist N.E.
Bocker K.
Ussher J.
Ali A.
Ullah N.
Khan H.
Gustafson N.W.
Jarrar I.
Al-Hamad A.
Luvira V.
Paveenkittiporn W.
Baran I.
Mwansa J.C.L.
Sikakwa L.
Yamba K.
Aarestrup F.M.
Petersen T.N.
Nag S.
Lagermann T.M.R.
Birkedahl L.E.K.
Tafaj S.
Bradbury S.
Collignon P.
Daley D.
Dougnon V.
Fabiyi K.
Coulibaly B.
Dembélé R.
Magloire N.
Ouindgueta I.J.
Hossain Z.Z.
Begoum A.
Donchev D.
Diggle M.
Turnbull L.A.
Lévesque S.
Berlinger L.
Søgaard K.K.
Guevara P.D.
Duarte C.
Maikanti P.
Amlerova J.
Drevinek P.
Tkadlec J.
Dilas M.
Kaasch A.
Westh H.T.
Bachtarzi M.A.
Amhis W.
Salazar C.E.S.
Villacis J.E.
Lúzon M.A.D.
Palau D.B.
Duployez C.
Paluche M.
Asante-Sefa S.
Møller M.
Ip M.
Mareković I.
Pál-Sonnevend A.
Cocuzza C.E.
Dambrauskiene A.
Macanze A.
Cossa A.
Mandomando I.
Nwajiobi-Princewill P.
Okeke I.N.
Kehinde A.O.
Adebiyi I.
Akintayo I.
Popoola O.
Onipede A.
Blomfeldt A.
Nyquist N.E.
Bocker K.
Ussher J.
Ali A.
Ullah N.
Khan H.
Gustafson N.W.
Jarrar I.
Al-Hamad A.
Luvira V.
Paveenkittiporn W.
Baran I.
Mwansa J.C.L.
Sikakwa L.
Yamba K.
Aarestrup F.M.
Author's Affiliation
Universitat de Barcelona
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Technical University of Denmark
University of Otago
Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
CHU Lille
Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg
Universitätsspital Basel
University of Ibadan
National University of Sciences and Technology
Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge
Karadeniz Technical University
University of Dhaka
Obafemi Awolowo University
Hvidovre Hospital
KBC Zagreb
University of Pécs Medical School
Fakultní Nemocnice v Motole
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University
Akershus University Hospital
Lietuvos Sveikatos Mokslų Universitetas
University of Abomey-Calavi
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke
Fakultní Nemocnice Plzeň
Canberra Hospital
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador
University Hospital Alexandrovska
Fiona Stanley Hospital
Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo
College of Medicine, University of Ibadan
Khyber Medical College
University Teaching Hospital Lusaka
Ghana Health Service
Arab American University, Palestine
Instituto Nacional de Salud
Ministry of Health Cyprus
Centre Hospitalier de Valenciennes
University Hospital Centre Tirana
National Hospital, Abuja
Qatif Central Hospital
Centre de Recherche en Sante de Nouna
Université de Dédougou
Alberta Precision Laboratories
Lusaka Apex Medical University
Dronning Ingrids Hospital
Bioanalytica AG
Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire
Levy Mwanawasa Medical University
National Institutes of Medical Research
Laboratorio Central de Salud Publico
National Institute of Public Health research “Dr. Leopoldo Izquieta Pérez”
National Institute of Health
Centro de Investigação em Saéude de Manhiça
Chinese University of Hong Kong
Technical University of Denmark
University of Otago
Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca
CHU Lille
Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg
Universitätsspital Basel
University of Ibadan
National University of Sciences and Technology
Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge
Karadeniz Technical University
University of Dhaka
Obafemi Awolowo University
Hvidovre Hospital
KBC Zagreb
University of Pécs Medical School
Fakultní Nemocnice v Motole
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University
Akershus University Hospital
Lietuvos Sveikatos Mokslų Universitetas
University of Abomey-Calavi
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke
Fakultní Nemocnice Plzeň
Canberra Hospital
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador
University Hospital Alexandrovska
Fiona Stanley Hospital
Université Joseph Ki-Zerbo
College of Medicine, University of Ibadan
Khyber Medical College
University Teaching Hospital Lusaka
Ghana Health Service
Arab American University, Palestine
Instituto Nacional de Salud
Ministry of Health Cyprus
Centre Hospitalier de Valenciennes
University Hospital Centre Tirana
National Hospital, Abuja
Qatif Central Hospital
Centre de Recherche en Sante de Nouna
Université de Dédougou
Alberta Precision Laboratories
Lusaka Apex Medical University
Dronning Ingrids Hospital
Bioanalytica AG
Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire
Levy Mwanawasa Medical University
National Institutes of Medical Research
Laboratorio Central de Salud Publico
National Institute of Public Health research “Dr. Leopoldo Izquieta Pérez”
National Institute of Health
Centro de Investigação em Saéude de Manhiça
Corresponding Author(s)
Other Contributor(s)
Abstract
Objectives Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria are a major global health threat. Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) have been crucial for spreading resistance to new bacterial species, including human pathogens. Understanding how MGEs promote resistance could be essential for prevention. Here we present an investigation of MGEs and their association with resistance genes in pathogenic bacteria collected from 59 diagnostic units during 2020, representing a snapshot of clinical infections from 35 counties worldwide. Methods We analysed 3,095 whole-genome sequenced clinical bacterial isolates from over 100 species to study the relationship between resistance genes and MGEs. The mobiliome of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae were further examined for geographic differences, as these species were prevalent in all countries. Genes potentially mobilized by MGEs were identified by finding DNA segments containing MGEs and ARGs preserved in multiple species. Network analysis was used to investigate potential MGE interactions, host range, and transmission pathways. Results The prevalence and diversity of MGEs and resistance genes varied among species, with E. coli and S. aureus carrying more diverse elements. MGE composition differed between bacterial lineages, indicating strong vertical inheritance. 102 MGEs associated with resistance were found in multiple species, and four of these elements seemed to be highly transmissible as they were found in different phyla. We identified 21 genomic regions containing resistance genes potentially mobilized by MGEs, highlighting their importance in transmitting genes to clinically significant bacteria. Conclusion Resistance genes are spread through various MGEs, including plasmids and transposons. Our findings suggest that multiple factors influence MGE prevalence and their transposability, thereby shaping the MGE population and transmission pathways. Some MGEs have a wider host range, which could make them more important for mobilizing genes. We also identified 103 resistance genes potentially mobilised by MGEs, which could increase their transmissibility to unrelated bacteria.