scholarly journals Subinhibitory Levels of Oxytetracycline in Earthworm Meal Significantly Boost Resistance-Mutation Rates in Bacillus spp. within the Gut of Eisenia fetida

Author(s):  
Tilak Saha ◽  
Avishek Biswas ◽  
Ranadhir Chakraborty

Aims: To estimate changes in the number of oxytetracycline -resistant strains, a dynamic population of Bacillus in the gut of Eisenia fetida cultured in processed-cow-dung (PrCD) supplemented with subinhibitory amounts of oxytetracycline, was studied. Study Design: Sterile water containing oxytetracycline was sprayed over PrCD at concentration of 0.012 µg per mg dehydrated PrCD per spraying. The number of oxytetracycline-resistant Bacillus spp. microbiota of E. fetida’s gut was compared to the number of oxytetracycline-resistant Bacillus spp. in its feed (PrCD). For this purpose, Luria Agar (LA) and Bacillus Agar (BA) plates amended with or without oxytetracycline were used. Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Omics Laboratory of Department of Biotechnology, University of North Bengal situated in Darjeeling district of West Bengal, India during 2017-18. Methodology: E. fetida gut content and PrCD samples were collected on different days of the experiment for bacteriological analysis. Dilution plating on LA yielded the total number of cultivable heterotrophic bacteria. LA plates amended with oxytetracycline (15 µg/ml) were used to acquire the fraction of heterotrophic bacteria resistant to oxytetracycline. BA plates were also utilized to obtain the fraction of resistant Bacillus spp. population. The frequency of mutation was determined using a conventional formula. Results: In the gut of E. fetida reared in PrCD supplemented with sub-inhibitory concentration of oxytetracycline, a rise in the oxytetracycline-resistant Bacillus population was observed. On day 1, the frequency of oxytetracycline-resistant Bacillus spp. (5×10-8) matched the spontaneous mutation frequency, however higher frequencies on days 2 and 7 (1.6×10-4 and 3.5 x 10-6 respectively) suggested significant dissemination of oxytetracycline resistance in the gut environment. Conclusion: Subinhibitory oxytetracycline concentrations in earthworm diet had a significant effect on mutation rates, showing that evolutionary forces on the gut microbiota may be determining their responses to antibiotic stress.

2003 ◽  
Vol 47 (10) ◽  
pp. 3222-3232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Komp Lindgren ◽  
Åsa Karlsson ◽  
Diarmaid Hughes

ABSTRACT Escherichia coli strains from patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections were examined by DNA sequencing for fluoroquinolone resistance-associated mutations in six genes: gyrA, gyrB, parC, parE, marOR, and acrR. The 54 strains analyzed had a susceptibility range distributed across 15 dilutions of the fluoroquinolone MICs. There was a correlation between the fluoroquinolone MIC and the number of resistance mutations that a strain carried, with resistant strains having mutations in two to five of these genes. Most resistant strains carried two mutations in gyrA and one mutation in parC. In addition, many resistant strains had mutations in parE, marOR, and/or acrR. No (resistance) mutation was found in gyrB. Thus, the evolution of fluoroquinolone resistance involves the accumulation of multiple mutations in several genes. The spontaneous mutation rate in these clinical strains varied by 2 orders of magnitude. A high mutation rate correlated strongly with a clinical resistance phenotype. This correlation suggests that an increased general mutation rate may play a significant role in the development of high-level resistance to fluoroquinolones by increasing the rate of accumulation of rare new mutations.


Genetics ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 148 (4) ◽  
pp. 1667-1686 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W Drake ◽  
Brian Charlesworth ◽  
Deborah Charlesworth ◽  
James F Crow

Abstract Rates of spontaneous mutation per genome as measured in the laboratory are remarkably similar within broad groups of organisms but differ strikingly among groups. Mutation rates in RNA viruses, whose genomes contain ca. 104 bases, are roughly 1 per genome per replication for lytic viruses and roughly 0.1 per genome per replication for retroviruses and a retrotransposon. Mutation rates in microbes with DNA-based chromosomes are close to 1/300 per genome per replication; in this group, therefore, rates per base pair vary inversely and hugely as genome sizes vary from 6 × 103 to 4 × 107 bases or base pairs. Mutation rates in higher eukaryotes are roughly 0.1–100 per genome per sexual generation but are currently indistinguishable from 1/300 per cell division per effective genome (which excludes the fraction of the genome in which most mutations are neutral). It is now possible to specify some of the evolutionary forces that shape these diverse mutation rates.


Genetics ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 144 (4) ◽  
pp. 1993-1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter D Keightley

Much population genetics and evolution theory depends on knowledge of genomic mutation rates and distributions of mutation effects for fitness, but most information comes from a few mutation accumulation experiments in Drosophila in which replicated chromosomes are sheltered from natural selection by a balancer chromosome. I show here that data from these experiments imply the existence of a large class of minor viability mutations with approximately equivalent effects. However, analysis of the distribution of viabilities of chromosomes exposed to EMS mutagenesis reveals a qualitatively different distribution of effects lacking such a minor effects class. A possible explanation for this difference is that transposable element insertions, a common class of spontaneous mutation event in Drosophila, frequently generate minor viability effects. This explanation would imply that current estimates of deleterious mutation rates are not generally applicable in evolutionary models, as transposition rates vary widely. Alternatively, much of the apparent decline in viability under spontaneous mutation accumulation could have been nonmutational, perhaps due to selective improvement of balancer chromosomes. This explanation accords well with the data and implies a spontaneous mutation rate for viability two orders of magnitude lower than previously assumed, with most mutation load attributable to major effects.


2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 511-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sarojini ◽  
S. Ananthakrishnasamy ◽  
G. Manimegala ◽  
M. Prakash ◽  
G. Gunasekaran

Fly ash is an amorphous ferroalumino silicate, an important solid waste around thermal power plants. It creates problems leading to environmental degradation due to improper utilization or disposal. However, fly ash is a useful ameliorant that may improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils and is a source of readily available plant macro and micronutrients when it is used with biosolids. Supply of nutrients from fly ash with biosolids may enhance their agricultural use. The growth and reproduction ofEisenia fetidawas studied during vermicomposting of fly ash with cowdung and pressmud in four different proportions (T1,T2,T3& T4) and one controli.e.,cow dung and pressmud alone. The growth, cocoon and hatchlings production were observed at the interval of 15 days over a period of 60 days. The maximum worm growth and reproduction was observed in bedding material alone. Next to that the T1was observed as the best mixture for vermiculture.


1972 ◽  
Vol 16 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 39-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. W. Kaplan

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 451-454
Author(s):  
N. Kannadasan ◽  
Nirmala Natarajan ◽  
N. Anbusaravanan ◽  
P. Sekar ◽  
R. Krishnamoorthy

The present work has assessed sustainable vermiconversion of aquatic weed water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes). The garden soil, water hyacinth and cow dung were taken in the following the combinations of 1: 2 : 1, 2: 1: 1 and 1 : 1: 2. Two species of earthworms Eudrilus eugeniae and Eisenia fetida was used for the experiment. The total nitrogen (0.18% in control and 1.68% in earthworm treated) and phosphate (0.63 % in control and 1.64 % in earthworm treated) levels were increased and toxic heavy metals zinc (7.66 ppm in control and 2.58 ppm in earthworm treated) and copper (6.68 ppm in control and 1.15 ppm in earthworm treated) were significantly decreased. The earthworm enriches the compost with various nutrients for plant and microbial growth. Plant growth studies were conducted in all the combination of water hyacinth, maximum growth of root length (8.9cm and 7.2 in control) and shoot length (21.6cm and 16.2 in control) observed compare to control. Gut microbial analysis revealed that Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus were predominantly present in the earthworm. The study recommended that the aquatic weed compost was suitable of agricultural usage.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 452-455
Author(s):  
P. Suganya ◽  
P.U. Mahalingam

Iron oxide (β-Fe2O3) nanoparticles were synthesized through a biological method using earthworm based extracts like Eudrilus eugineae vermiwash, Eisenia fetida vermiwash, Eudrilus eugineae crushed extract, Eisenia fetida crushed extract, Eudrilus eugineae warm water extract, Eisenia fetida warm water extract and cow dung extract as a reducing and stabilizing agents. The development of β-Fe2O3 nanoparticles in the reaction mixture was determined by UV–visible spectroscopy. Followed by, the synthesized β-Fe2O3 nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transforms infra–red spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray and transmission electron microscopy. Synthesized β-Fe2O3 NPs are characterized as crystalline structure of hexagonal shape with particle size of 2.08-94.37 nm and carrying unique functional groups. Bioefficiency of β-Fe2O3 was assessed through In-vitro seed germination study with green gram (Vigna radiata) and results revealed that 200 mg concentrations of α-Fe2O3 supported better seed germination and early growth in V. radiata.


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