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Antibiotics
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Antibiotics and the Evolution of Resistance: Insights into Horizontal Gene...
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Antibiotics and the Evolution of Resistance: Insights into Horizontal Gene Transfer

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Mechanism and Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2025) | Viewed by 3327

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Günther Koraimann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Molecular Biosciences, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
Interests: F-like plasmids; bacterial conjugation; type IV secretion; gene expression; enterobacteria; microbial diversity and genomics
Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Grohmann

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Life Sciences and Technology, Department of Microbiology, University of Applied Sciences Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Interests: conjugative plasmid transfer; type IV secretion; antibiotic resistance spread; biofilms; biofilm inhibitors; enterococcus
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) plays a pivotal role in the dissemination and persistence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Vehicles for HGT in bacteria are conjugative plasmids (CPs), mobilizable plasmids (MPs), integrative conjugative elements (ICEs), integrative mobilizable elements (IMEs), and bacteriophages.

We encourage researchers working on these mobile genetic elements to submit manuscripts demonstrating their participation in the evolution of AMR in bacteria. We also invite manuscripts describing structural, functional, or mechanistic aspects of HGT in conjunction with the spread and persistence of AMR, e.g., in hospitals, the environment, and especially in the ONE HEALTH context.

Original research articles, short communications, and reviews on the topic are highly welcome.

Prof. Dr. Günther Koraimann
Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Grohmann
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antibiotic resistance spread and evolution
  • pathogens
  • one health
  • plasmids
  • integrative conjugative elements
  • bacteriophages
  • conjugative transfer
  • transduction

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

44 pages, 2296 KB  
Review
A Practical Framework for Environmental Antibiotic Resistance Monitoring in Freshwater Ecosystems
by Irene Beltrán de Heredia, Itziar Alkorta, Carlos Garbisu and Estilita Ruiz-Romera
Antibiotics 2025, 14(8), 840; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14080840 - 19 Aug 2025
Viewed by 524
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance (AR) and contamination are critical public and environmental health issues. In the last years, the environmental component of AR has acquired much interest due to its potential links with the human resistome. In particular, freshwater ecosystems are considered strategic sites for [...] Read more.
Antibiotic resistance (AR) and contamination are critical public and environmental health issues. In the last years, the environmental component of AR has acquired much interest due to its potential links with the human resistome. In particular, freshwater ecosystems are considered strategic sites for environmental AR surveillance, since they can act as both reservoirs and transmission routes for antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes. Many studies are needed to deepen our understanding of AR evolution and dynamics in freshwater ecosystems and, specifically, on the existence of links between environmental and human AR. This calls for the design of robust and adaptive AR surveillance strategies and, concomitantly, the implementation of routine monitoring programs that effectively capture the environmental dimension of AR in freshwater ecosystems. Here, a roadmap for AR monitoring in freshwater ecosystems, framed around four essential questions (how? what? where? when?), is presented to guide researchers and decision-makers in designing and implementing effective environmental AR routine monitoring programs. It was concluded that, due to the complexity, heterogeneity, and dynamic nature of freshwater ecosystems, it seems foreseeable that environmental AR monitoring programs need to be carefully adjusted to the particular casuistry of each freshwater ecosystem, as well as to the specific interests of the corresponding program and the resources available. Still, much research is needed to properly assess and monitor the risks derived from the emergence and dissemination of AR determinants in freshwaters for both ecosystem and human health. By synthesizing current knowledge and methodologies, this review consolidates existing approaches and can serve as a guide for planning AR monitoring programs in freshwater ecosystems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antibiotics and the Evolution of Resistance: Insights into Horizontal Gene Transfer)
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37 pages, 1057 KB  
Review
Carbapenem-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa’s Resistome: Pan-Genomic Plasticity, the Impact of Transposable Elements and Jumping Genes
by Theodoros Karampatakis, Katerina Tsergouli and Payam Behzadi
Antibiotics 2025, 14(4), 353; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14040353 - 31 Mar 2025
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2392
Abstract
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative, motile bacterium, may cause significant infections in both community and hospital settings, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. This opportunistic pathogen can thrive in various environments, making it a public health concern worldwide. P. aeruginosa’s genomic pool [...] Read more.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a Gram-negative, motile bacterium, may cause significant infections in both community and hospital settings, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. This opportunistic pathogen can thrive in various environments, making it a public health concern worldwide. P. aeruginosa’s genomic pool is highly dynamic and diverse, with a pan-genome size ranging from 5.5 to 7.76 Mbp. This versatility arises from its ability to acquire genes through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) via different genetic elements (GEs), such as mobile genetic elements (MGEs). These MGEs, collectively known as the mobilome, facilitate the spread of genes encoding resistance to antimicrobials (ARGs), resistance to heavy metals (HMRGs), virulence (VGs), and metabolic functions (MGs). Of particular concern are the acquired carbapenemase genes (ACGs) and other β-lactamase genes, such as classes A, B [metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs)], and D carbapenemases, which can lead to increased antimicrobial resistance. This review emphasizes the importance of the mobilome in understanding antimicrobial resistance in P. aeruginosa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antibiotics and the Evolution of Resistance: Insights into Horizontal Gene Transfer)
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