Investigating conjugative transfer of carbapenem resistance plasmids in Klebsiella pneumoniae planktonic and biofilm populations

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Element, Sarah Jane ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5028-4406 (2022). Investigating conjugative transfer of carbapenem resistance plasmids in Klebsiella pneumoniae planktonic and biofilm populations. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Horizontal gene transfer via conjugative plasmids has a large impact on the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes. This work focused on studying the transfer of multidrug resistance plasmids in planktonic and biofilm populations of Klebsiella pneumoniae. Firstly, a flow cytometry fluorescence reporter system was evaluated for monitoring transfer of the pKpQIL plasmid. Next, plasmid transfer from a set of carbapenemase-producing clinical isolate donors was determined. Isolate CPE16 transferred its carbapenenmase plasmid at high frequency in both planktonic and biofilm populations, with a higher transfer frequency in a biofilm. In some cases, multiple plasmids were transferred from the donors into the recipient. There was no obvious growth impact on transconjugants upon plasmid acquisition. Transconjugant gene expression was investigated to establish any effect of the plasmid on the host transcriptome across three planktonic and biofilm conditions. The effect of lifestyle on plasmid gene expression was also determined. This revealed that plasmid carriage in the biofilm lifestyle had the largest impact on the host transcriptome, and that lifestyle affected plasmid gene expression.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

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