Horizontal gene transfer in the human gastrointestinal tract: potential spread of antibiotic resistance genes

Abstract

Bacterial infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat due to widespread antibiotic resistance among pathogens. This review aims to give an overview of the major horizontal transfer mechanisms and their evolution and then demonstrate the human lower gastrointestinal tract as an environment in which horizontal gene transfer of resistance determinants occurs. Finally, implications for antibiotic usage and the development of resistant infections and persistence of antibiotic resistance genes in populations as a result of horizontal gene transfer in the large intestine will be discussed.

Keywords:

• gut microbiome
• conjugation
• natural transformation
• transduction

Acknowledgments

Work on horizontal gene transfer in the author’s laboratory has been supported by Pursuit Research Grants, Math-Science Grants, and Undergraduate Research Grants at Abilene Christian University.

Disclosure

The author reports no conflicts of interest in this work.