Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the significant public health issues of the 21st century. However, AMR is not confined to clinical settings. On the contrary, resistance genes have been detected in almost every environment studied. These genes include those that are endemic to natural environments and those that are shed as pollutants from human-dominated ecosystems. The AMR crisis is an ecological and evolutionary problem that needs to be tackled on multiple fronts, including human health, microbial ecology, agriculture and waste treatment.
Bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) by horizontal transfer mediated by mobile genetic elements, where the role of phages in their dissemination in natural environments has been concerned. Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on earth, with an estimated abundance ranging from 109 to 1010 per gram of seawater or soil. Phages may, therefore, act as vectors for genetic exchange via generalized or specialized transduction. Bacteria–phage coevolution, the reciprocal evolution between bacterial hosts and the phages that infect them, is an important driver of ecological and evolutionary processes in microbial communities. There is growing evidence from both laboratory and natural populations that coevolution can maintain phenotypic and genetic diversity, increase the rate of bacterial and phage evolution and divergence, affect community structure, and shape the development of ecologically relevant bacterial traits. Although the study of bacteria–phage coevolution is still in its infancy, with open questions regarding the specificity of the interaction, the gene networks of coevolving partners, and the relative importance of the coevolving interaction in complex communities and environments.
With this research topic, our purpose is to understand: the driver of bacteria–phage coevolution in antimicrobial resistance; the effect of phages on horizontal gene transfer on ARGs in the bacterial community; the gene networks of coevolving partners, and the relative importance of the coevolving interaction in complex communities and environments; the coevolutionary process via phage and the impact of bacterial phenotype, diversity and interactions with other species (particularly their hosts).
The following are welcome but not limited to:
The dissemination of ARGs via phages from nonclinical settings.
Characterization of coevolution in antimicrobial resistance in different populations level.
Analyses of the mechanical process for bacteria-phages co-selection associated with various pressures.
Microbiological and molecular biology studies on bacteria-phages resistomes.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the significant public health issues of the 21st century. However, AMR is not confined to clinical settings. On the contrary, resistance genes have been detected in almost every environment studied. These genes include those that are endemic to natural environments and those that are shed as pollutants from human-dominated ecosystems. The AMR crisis is an ecological and evolutionary problem that needs to be tackled on multiple fronts, including human health, microbial ecology, agriculture and waste treatment.
Bacteria can acquire antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) by horizontal transfer mediated by mobile genetic elements, where the role of phages in their dissemination in natural environments has been concerned. Viruses are the most abundant biological entities on earth, with an estimated abundance ranging from 109 to 1010 per gram of seawater or soil. Phages may, therefore, act as vectors for genetic exchange via generalized or specialized transduction. Bacteria–phage coevolution, the reciprocal evolution between bacterial hosts and the phages that infect them, is an important driver of ecological and evolutionary processes in microbial communities. There is growing evidence from both laboratory and natural populations that coevolution can maintain phenotypic and genetic diversity, increase the rate of bacterial and phage evolution and divergence, affect community structure, and shape the development of ecologically relevant bacterial traits. Although the study of bacteria–phage coevolution is still in its infancy, with open questions regarding the specificity of the interaction, the gene networks of coevolving partners, and the relative importance of the coevolving interaction in complex communities and environments.
With this research topic, our purpose is to understand: the driver of bacteria–phage coevolution in antimicrobial resistance; the effect of phages on horizontal gene transfer on ARGs in the bacterial community; the gene networks of coevolving partners, and the relative importance of the coevolving interaction in complex communities and environments; the coevolutionary process via phage and the impact of bacterial phenotype, diversity and interactions with other species (particularly their hosts).
The following are welcome but not limited to:
The dissemination of ARGs via phages from nonclinical settings.
Characterization of coevolution in antimicrobial resistance in different populations level.
Analyses of the mechanical process for bacteria-phages co-selection associated with various pressures.
Microbiological and molecular biology studies on bacteria-phages resistomes.