Evidence of horizontal gen transfer of antibiotic resistance genes from environmental bacteria

This study looked for the presence of environmental antibiotic resistance genes and their capacity to disseminate through conjugation. Water and soil samples were collected from pristine zones of the Ecuadorian Amazon Basin (Sucumbios, Napo and Orellana provin­ces), and they were inoculated in a modify wheat grain medium (WGM). Some of WGM cultures contained diverse bacterial species that were able to transfer antibiotic resistance genes to Escherichia coli K12. Finally, 10 strains were isolated and proved to be responsible of antibiotic resistance gene transfer. Strains were identified (using 16S rDNA sequences) as Serratia sp., Pseudomonas sp., Listonella sp., and Aeromonas sp. In this work, we pro­ved that environmental bacteria can transfer antibiotic resistance genes as tetraciclin and ampicilin.