Cunning plasmid fusion mediates antibiotic resistance genes represented by ESBLs encoding genes transfer in foodborne Salmonella

Foodborne disease caused by antibiotic resistant Salmonella is quite difficult to deal with. In order to further explore the antibiotic resistance associated with gene transfer among foodborne Salmonella, several wild-type Salmonella strains were used as donors and recipients, respectively, to investigate how extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) encoding genes co-transfer with transposable elements to transmit antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by agar dilution method, the transposase encoding gene was detected via PCR combined with DNA sequencing, S1 nuclease and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (S1-PFGE), and southern-blot. Illumina HiSeq 4000 platform and Nanopore MinION long-read sequencing technology were used to determine the antibiotic resistance encoding genes (ARGs) and their surrounding gene environment. The results indicated that the conjugation frequency was from ×10−4 to ×10−5 per recipient cell. A 185,608-bp-long DNA fragment and two short backbone protein encoding regions in pG19 in the donor fused with part genes in pS3 in the recipient during conjugation, the size of this fusion plasmid is as same as that of pG19. Cefoxitin resistance of the transconjugant was mediated by a tnpA21-related blaDHA-1 transfer. Resistance of Salmonella to ceftriaxone, cefoperazone and ceftiofur was mediated by a tnpU1548 related blaTEM-1B and blaCTX-M-3 transfer. The study indicated that transposase synergy and plasmid selective fusion act as important roles for foodborne Salmonella gathering ARGs. The consistent size of the plasmid before and after fusion suggested the invisibility and complexity of bacterial conjugation without DNA sequencing, the fact reminded us that the rampant transmission of antibiotic-resistance encoding genes would pose tremendous threat to food safety. •Wildtype Salmonella was used as donors and recipients for conjugation.•Transfer of Tns and ARGs via plasmids fusion that cannot be detected by S1-PFGE.•Cefoxitin-resistance associated with blaDHA-1 carried by tnpA21.•blaTEM-1B and blaCTX-M-3 carried by tnpU1548 mediate resistance to other cephalosporins.•Salmonella can quickly acquire antibiotic resistance phenotype.