Can photocatalytic technology facilitate conjugative transfer of ARGs in bacteria at the interface of natural sphalerite under different light irradiation?

Antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) dissemination in water environment has raised concerns worldwide. Here, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) were exposed to the interface of natural sphalerite (NS) irradiated by different light sources (UV254nm, UV365nm, simulated sunlight (SS), and visible light (VL)) in water and their effects on ARG conjugative transfer were studied. The conjugative transfer frequency increased 2- to 10-fold under exposure to Photocatalysis (PC)(NS+UV254nm) or PCNS+VL and 1- to 2-fold under PCNS+UV365nm or PCNS+SS. During exposure, bacteria were directly stimulated by light irradiation or spontaneous photocatalytic inactivation, triggering oxidative stress, DNA repair, cell repair and transfer regulation of ARB. These results indicated that ARG transfer could be promoted once ARB involving in this environmental PC interface. This new viewpoint revealed that natural minerals with natural light irradiation play an important role in ARG dissemination. Besides, this study provided more detailed information for practical application of PC sterilization and control of ARG transfer.

Automated summary

The study showed that under light exposure, conjugative transfer frequency significantly increased, indicating that antibiotic-resistant bacteria promoted the dissemination of antibiotic-resistance genes at the photocatalysis interface. This new perspective highlighted the important role of natural minerals and natural light in the dissemination of antibiotic-resistance genes.