Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT): Key to the Multi-Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) Crisis

Dear Colleagues,

The occurrence of bacteria with clinically significant resistance to multiple chemically distinct antibiotics (MAR) has been known since the late 20th century to be based on:

• Intercellular gene transfer;
  • by DNA alone (transformation);
  • by the specialized mobile genetic elements (MGEs) plasmids (conjugation) and bacteriophages (transduction).
• Intracellular non-homologous recombination by transposons and integrons.

Unlike the single-base-change, neoDarwinian, gradualist model of evolution, these processes continuously move kilobase segments of DNA-encoding entire functional genes and even multigene operons. It has also long been known that non-antibiotic iatrogenic or environmental stressors can provoke the spread of MAR. The more recent discovery that large DNA segments move via extracellular membrane vesicles (exosomes) within and across species and even genera revealed horizontal gene transfer (HGT) to be as significant as vertical parent-to-offspring inheritance in adaptation and evolution in all biological kingdoms.

Recognizing the global crises of MAR and the growing promise of analytical techniques to elucidate the mechanisms underpinning HGT and interventions to overcome it, we present a new Special Issue, "Horizontal Gene Transfer (HGT): Key to the Multi-Antibiotic Resistance (MAR) Crisis”.

This Special Issue seeks quantitative, hypothesis-driven experimental or descriptive studies by experts in biochemistry, microbiology, ecology, genomics, epidemiology, and computational modeling. The goal is to identify optimum points at which to interrupt MAR and to inform effective  interventions—from new HGT-targeted drugs to the elimination of non-antibiotic stressors—to apply at such points. We welcome contributions on, but not limited to, the following topics:

• The origins and recruitment of specific antibiotic resistance and mobilization genes;
• The identification of functions for hypothetical genes that occupy 30+% of large MAR plasmids;
• Modeling which HGT ‘superpower’ (replication control, inter-cell transfer, intra-cell mobility) would be the best target to diminish MAR spread;
• Mobilomes of humans from isolated traditional peoples vs. modern urban dwellers;
• Longitudinal studies of mobilomes responding to and recovering from antibiotic exposure (or other stressor) in a full genomic context;
• Effects of traditional Chinese or Ayurvedic remedies (botanicals, metals, etc) on mobilomes in vitro, experimental animals, or humans.

Prof. Dr. Anne O. Summers
Guest Editor

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• multi-antibiotic resistance (MAR)
• lateral gene transfer
• integron
• mechanisms
• longitudinal study
• modelling