About this Research Topic
The problem of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) pollution in the environment has become one of the most severe public health problems in the world. ARGs can persist in the environment and spread through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) (i.e., conjugation, transformation, and transduction), which mainly involves mobile genetic elements (MGEs) such as plasmids, integrons, transposons, and phages. Meanwhile, many environmental factors such as pollutants may promote HGT to accelerate ARG spread. Therefore, understanding HGT dynamics, contributing factors, and further developing control technologies are important for reducing health risks.
Due to limitations in traditional methods, there is still a lack of comprehensive dynamics and models to describe and predict HGT in the environment. Furthermore, numerous studies have delved into conjugation or transformation, the characteristics of transduction are not yet fully understood, although they may play a crucial role. Simultaneously, the impact of environmental pollutants on promoting the HGT process, particularly the influence of emerging pollutants on the proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), remains to be explored. Additionally, the development of new control strategies for ARGs and their dissemination is imperative.
This Research Topic enthusiastically welcomes Original Research articles, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, Opinions, and Perspectives addressing the dynamics, influencing factors, and control of the proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts that focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:
1. Investigation of the occurrence and proliferation of ARGs in diverse environmental settings.
2. Examination of influencing factors on horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and exploration of possible mechanisms.
3. Studies on HGT kinetics and the development of associated models.
4. Assessment of the contribution of phages in the dissemination of ARGs.
5. Exploration of technologies for controlling antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).
Due to limitations in traditional methods, there is still a lack of comprehensive dynamics and models to describe and predict HGT in the environment. Furthermore, numerous studies have delved into conjugation or transformation, the characteristics of transduction are not yet fully understood, although they may play a crucial role. Simultaneously, the impact of environmental pollutants on promoting the HGT process, particularly the influence of emerging pollutants on the proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), remains to be explored. Additionally, the development of new control strategies for ARGs and their dissemination is imperative.
This Research Topic enthusiastically welcomes Original Research articles, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Methods, Opinions, and Perspectives addressing the dynamics, influencing factors, and control of the proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment. Authors are encouraged to submit manuscripts that focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:
1. Investigation of the occurrence and proliferation of ARGs in diverse environmental settings.
2. Examination of influencing factors on horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and exploration of possible mechanisms.
3. Studies on HGT kinetics and the development of associated models.
4. Assessment of the contribution of phages in the dissemination of ARGs.
5. Exploration of technologies for controlling antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs).
Keywords: Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), Antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), horizontal gene transfer (HGT), Environmental pollutants, transfer dynamics and models, plasmids, phages, ARG and ARB control
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
