Plastic-Degrading Microbes Fuel Antibiotic Resistance

• A study by the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata suggests that microbes capable of breaking down plastics may be reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes.

• Plastic, which breaks down into microplastics and nanoplastics, can attract pollutants like heavy metals, antibiotics, and toxic chemicals.

• These particles can host microbes carrying antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), posing a threat to ecosystems and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

• Some microbes produce enzymes capable of disintegrating the strong chemical bonds in plastic polymers, such as PETase, which can degrade polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a common plastic used in bottles.

• The study reveals that the floating bacterial community in the Sundarbans possesses the genetic tools to degrade plastics and are also linked with genes for AMR and metal resistance.

• The study found that the single most abundant set of enzymes was those breaking down PEG, suggesting a strong contamination input from biomedical and industrial sources.

• The study also found that microbes carrying PDEs often carried resistance genes, particularly for zinc resistance and resistance to aminoglycoside antibiotics.

• The study suggests that the same selective pressures — plastic additives, metals, and pollutants — are shaping microbial adaptation.

• The discovery of such a diverse and abundant set of plastic-degrading enzymes is promising, but it also raises concerns about the spread of resistance traits, undermining efforts to control AMR.

Plastic Waste Fuels Resistance is important topic for Civil service exam (WBCS).

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