Abstract
The global emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) within bacterial species have reached an alarming stage. These drug resistant bacteria are often resistant to variety of antimicrobial drugs and hence, referred to as multidrug resistant (MDR). The problem from drug resistant bacteria is not only the matter of concern for human health but also to the environment and food industry. The development of AMR is favored by the biofilms. Bacteria conventionally inhabit as communities usually attached to solid surface. Once attached, they establish themselves to form biofilms that provide protection from environmental threats thereby acting as an extremely beneficial survival strategy. Bacterial species exhibit distinct features in biofilms that are not present in a planktonic state among which enhanced tolerance to antibiotics is a very prominent phenomenon. Biofilms through horizontal gene transfer leads to the enhanced spread of antibiotic resistance genes including to β-lactam antibiotics and development of resistance among bacterial populations have been documented. The biofilms formed in environment are unique in diversity and exchange of genetic material coding for resistance and other straits with in participating compatible microbial populations becomes easier. In bacterial biofilms, the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance whether through horizontal transfer of genes or mutations, is a serious threat to public health that requires rapid attention. In this chapter, the above aspects of biofilms have been reviewed in the light of current understanding on biofilms as hotspot for gene exchange with special reference to β-lactam antibiotics.
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Acknowledgments
The research was supported by Indo-UK joint Collaborative research project Respharm and SELECTAR from Department of biotechnology. The DST–INSPIRE fellowship (IF180419) support from Department of Science and Technology to Ms. Samreen, is also thankfully acknowledged.
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Ahmad, I., Siddiqui, S.A., Samreen, Suman, K., Qais, F.A. (2022). Environmental Biofilms as Reservoir of Antibiotic Resistance and Hotspot for Genetic Exchange in Bacteria. In: Shahid, M., Singh, A., Sami, H. (eds) Beta-Lactam Resistance in Gram-Negative Bacteria. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9097-6_15
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