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Papers by Mohammad Tahir Siddiqui

Research paper thumbnail of Molecular characterization of resistance determinants and mobile genetic elements of ESBL producing multidrug-resistant bacteria from freshwater lakes in Kashmir, India

Science of The Total Environment, 2022

BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance conceded as a global concern is a phenomenon that emerged from t... more BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance conceded as a global concern is a phenomenon that emerged from the bacterial response to the extensive utilization of antimicrobials. The expansion of resistance determinants through horizontal transfer is linked with mobile genetic elements (MGEs) like transposons, insertion sequences, and integrons. Heavy metals also create consequential health hazards. Metal resistance gene in alliance with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and MGEs is assisting bacteria to attain exalted quantity of resistance. METHODOLOGY The present work was carried out to study ARGs bla CTX-M, AmpC, qnrS, MGEs like ISecp1, TN3, TN21, and Int I by performing PCR and sequencing from Wular and Dal lakes of Kashmir; India. The genetic environment analysis of bla CTX-M-15 was carried out using PCR amplification, and sequencing approach followed by in-silico docking and mutational studies. Co-occurrence of ARGs and HMRGs was determined. Plasmid typing was done using PCR-based replicon typing (PBRT) and conjugation assay were also performed. RESULTS Out of 201 isolates attained from 16 locations, 33 were ESBLs producers. 30 ESBL displaying isolates were perceived positive for CTX-M gene, followed by AmpC (17), qnrS (13), ISecp1 (15), TN3 (11), TN21 (11), Int I (18), and SulI (14). The genetic environment of blaCTX-M-15 was observed as (ISEcp1-blaCTX-M-15-orf477), classical promoter-10 TACAAT and -35 TTGAA was found at the 3' region. The 3D structure of CTX-M-15 and ISEcp1 was generated and CTX-M-15-ISEcp1 (R299L) docking and mutation showed a reduction in hydrogen bonds. Co-occurrence of antibiotics and HMRGs (mer, sil, and ars) was found in 18, 14, and 8 isolates. PBRT analysis showed the presence of Inc. groups- B/O, F, 11, HI1, FIA, HI2, N, FIB, L/M. Molecular analysis of transconjugants showed the successful transfer of ARGs, MGEs, and HMRGs in the E. coli J53 AZR strain. CONCLUSION This study highlights the occurrence of ESBL producing bacteria in the aquatic environment of Kashmir India that can serve as a reservoir of ARGs. It also discussed the molecular mechanisms of MGEs to contain the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Research paper thumbnail of Colistin Interaction and Surface Changes Associated with mcr-1 Conferred Plasmid Mediated Resistance in E. coli and A. veronii Strains

Pharmaceutics, 2022

Colistin, a polycationic antimicrobial peptide, is one of the last-resort antibiotics for treatin... more Colistin, a polycationic antimicrobial peptide, is one of the last-resort antibiotics for treating infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The antibacterial activity of colistin occurs through electrostatic interaction between the polycationic peptide group of colistin and the negatively charged phosphate groups of lipid A membrane. This study investigated the interaction of colistin with the outer membrane and surface constituents of resistant and susceptible strains of Escherichia coli and Aeromonas veronii harboring mcr-1 resistance gene. Bacterial membrane and lipopolysaccharide used in this study were isolated from susceptible as well as colistin-resistant strains of E. coli and A. veronii. Interaction of colistin with the bacterial surface was studied by deoxycholate and lysozyme sensitivity test, N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine (NPN) uptake assay, Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Zeta potential measurements and 1H NMR. The binding affinity of colistin was fou...

Research paper thumbnail of Plasmid-Mediated Ampicillin, Quinolone, and Heavy Metal Co-Resistance among ESBL-Producing Isolates from the Yamuna River, New Delhi, India

Antibiotics, 2020

Antibiotic resistance is one of the major current global health crises. Because of increasing con... more Antibiotic resistance is one of the major current global health crises. Because of increasing contamination with antimicrobials, pesticides, and heavy metals, the aquatic environment has become a hotspot for emergence, maintenance, and dissemination of antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes among bacteria. The aim of the present study was to determine the co-resistance to quinolones, ampicillin, and heavy metals among the bacterial isolates harboring extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) genes. Among 73 bacterial strains isolated from a highly polluted stretch of the Yamuna River in Delhi, those carrying blaCTX-M, blaTEM, or blaSHV genes were analyzed to detect the genetic determinants of resistance to quinolones, ampicillin, mercury, and arsenic. The plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) gene qnrS was found in 22 isolates; however, the qnrA, B, C, and qnrD genes could not be detected in any of the bacteria. Two variants of CMY, blaCMY-2 and blaCMY-42, were identified a...

Research paper thumbnail of Current Update on Intrinsic and Acquired Colistin Resistance Mechanisms in Bacteria

Frontiers in Medicine, 2021

Colistin regained global interest as a consequence of the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistan... more Colistin regained global interest as a consequence of the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae. In parallel, colistin-resistant bacteria emerged in response to the unregulated use of this antibiotic. However, some Gram-negative species are intrinsically resistant to colistin activity, such as Neisseria meningitides, Burkholderia species, and Proteus mirabilis. Most identified colistin resistance usually involves modulation of lipid A that decreases or removes early charge-based interaction with colistin through up-regulation of multistep capsular polysaccharide expression. The membrane modifications occur by the addition of cationic phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) or 4-amino-l-arabinose on lipid A that results in decrease in the negative charge on the bacterial surface. Therefore, electrostatic interaction between polycationic colistin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is halted. It has been reported that these modifications on the bacterial surface occur ...

Research paper thumbnail of Emergence of mcr-1 conferred colistin resistance among bacterial isolates from urban sewage water in India

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2019

Increased use of colistin, a last resort drug due to failure of carbapenems, has possibly contrib... more Increased use of colistin, a last resort drug due to failure of carbapenems, has possibly contributed in development and spread of resistance to colistin among Enterobacteriaceae. The colistin belongs to the family of polymyxins, cationic polypeptides, with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we obtained 253 non-duplicate bacterial isolates from sewage water in Delhi and phenotypically screened for colistin resistance. Of the 47 positive isolates, the colistin resistance gene mcr-1 was detected among 5 isolates. Based on 16S ribosomal RNA-based identification, bacterial isolates were found to be Escherichia coli, Aeromonas veronii, and Aeromonas dhakensis. Extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)-resistant determinants CTX-M and TEM were detected in all five mcr-1 positive isolates. On the basis of literature survey, this is the first report of mcr-1 gene from Aeromonas veronii and Aeromonas dhakensis worldwide. Furthermore, mcr-1 gene has not been reported earlier from sewage water in India. Antibiotic susceptibility test of all five isolates against 9 different classes of drugs revealed multidrug-resistant phenotype with high minimum inhibitory concentration values. In vitro transconjugation studies showed successful transfer of mcr-1 and other ESBL-resistant determinants. The occurrence of colistin resistance phenotype conferred by plasmid-based mcr-1 gene in the environment and an ever-increasing list of bacterial isolates is a cause of concern. A comprehensive survey of different water bodies and epidemiological studies are required to assess the risk of dissemination of resistance determinants.

Research paper thumbnail of Antibiotics, Resistome and Resistance Mechanisms: A Bacterial Perspective

Frontiers in microbiology, 2018

History of mankind is regarded as struggle against infectious diseases. Rather than observing the... more History of mankind is regarded as struggle against infectious diseases. Rather than observing the withering away of bacterial diseases, antibiotic resistance has emerged as a serious global health concern. Medium of antibiotic resistance in bacteria varies greatly and comprises of target protection, target substitution, antibiotic detoxification and block of intracellular antibiotic accumulation. Further aggravation to prevailing situation arose on observing bacteria gradually becoming resistant to different classes of antibiotics through acquisition of resistance genes from same and different genera of bacteria. Attributing bacteria with feature of better adaptability, dispersal of antibiotic resistance genes to minimize effects of antibiotics by various means including horizontal gene transfer (conjugation, transformation, and transduction), Mobile genetic elements (plasmids, transposons, insertion sequences, integrons, and integrative-conjugative elements) and bacterial toxin-ant...

Research paper thumbnail of Multitrait plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacterial isolates fromBrassica juncearhizosphere

Communicative & Integrative Biology, 2014

Plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria, a beneficial microbe colonizing plant roots, enhanced... more Plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria, a beneficial microbe colonizing plant roots, enhanced crop productivity and offers an attractive way to replace chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and supplements. the keratinous waste which comprises feathers, hairs, nails, skin and wool creates problem of solid waste management due to presence of highly recalcitrant keratin. the multi traits rhizobacteria effective to remove both keratine from the environment by producing keratinase enzyme and to eradicate the chemical fertilizer by providing different PGP activity is novel achievement. in the present study, the effective Pm 2 strain of PGPr was isolated from rhizospheric soil of mustard (Brassica juncea) field, Pantnagar and they were identified on the basis of different biochemical tests as belonging to Bacillus genera. Different plant growth promoting activity, feather degradation and keratinolytic activity was performed and found very effective toward all the parameters. Furthermore, the efficient strain Pm 2 was identified on the basis of 16s rrna sequencing and confirmed as Bacillus cereus. the strain Pm 2 might be used efficiently for keratinous waste management and PGP activity. therefore, the present study suggests that Bacillus cereus have multi traits activity which extremely useful for different PGP activity and biotechnological process involving keratin hydrolysis, feather biodegradation or in the leather industry.

Research paper thumbnail of Lentic and effluent water of Delhi-NCR: a reservoir of multidrug-resistant bacteria harbouring blaCTX-M, blaTEM and blaSHV type ESBL genes

Journal of Water and Health, 2021

Antimicrobial resistance is not restricted to clinics but also spreading fast in the aquatic envi... more Antimicrobial resistance is not restricted to clinics but also spreading fast in the aquatic environment. This study focused on the prevalence and diversity of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes among bacteria from lentic and effluent water in Delhi-NCR, India. Phenotypic screening of 436 morphologically distinct bacterial isolates collected from diverse sites revealed that 106 (∼24%) isolates were ESBL positive. Antibiotic profiling showed that 42, 60, 78 and 59% ESBL producing isolates collected from Ghazipur slaughterhouse, Lodhi garden pond, Hauz Khas lake and Jasola wastewater treatment plant, respectively, were multidrug-resistant (MDR). The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index varied from 0.20 to 0.32 among selected locations. The prevalence of ESBL gene variants blaSHV, blaTEM and blaCTX-M were found to be 17.64, 35.29 and 64%, respectively. Furthermore, the analysis of obtained gene sequences showed three variants of blaCTX-M (15, 152 and 205) and two variants...

Research paper thumbnail of Biosynthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles against ESBL producing water-borne pathogens

In the present work, biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using isolate of Shigella sp. A... more In the present work, biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using isolate of Shigella sp. AS8 culture supernatant as a reducing agent has been demonstrated. Synthesis of AgNPs was completed within 180 min of incubation at 35 °C under bright light condition. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Atomic force microscopy (AFM). The formation of brown color reaction product with strong UV-vis spectrum absorption maxima at 411 nm due to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) indicated the synthesis of AgNPs. FTIR spectrum confirmed association of supernatant protein molecules with synthesized nanoparticles. DLS, TEM, FE-SEM and AFM showed biosynthesized nanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average size of 20 nm. EDX data analysis reveals presence of metallic silver. While, XRD analysis revealed that synthesized particles were pure and crystalline in nature. Further, AgNPs were evaluated as an antibacterial agent against extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) positive water-borne pathogens. The results of present study suggest that biosynthesized AgNPs can be used to combat ESBL producing multidrug resistant bacteria.

Research paper thumbnail of Antibiotics, Resistome and Resistance Mechanisms: A Bacterial Perspective

History of mankind is regarded as struggle against infectious diseases. Rather than observing the... more History of mankind is regarded as struggle against infectious diseases. Rather than observing the withering away of bacterial diseases, antibiotic resistance has emerged as a serious global health concern. Medium of antibiotic resistance in bacteria varies greatly and comprises of target protection, target substitution, antibiotic detoxification and block of intracellular antibiotic accumulation. Further aggravation to prevailing situation arose on observing bacteria gradually becoming resistant to different classes of antibiotics through acquisition of resistance genes from same and different genera of bacteria. Attributing bacteria with feature of better adaptability, dispersal of antibiotic resistance genes to minimize effects of antibiotics by various means including horizontal gene transfer (conjugation, transformation, and transduction), Mobile genetic elements (plasmids, transposons, insertion sequences, integrons, and integrative-conjugative elements) and bacterial toxin-antitoxin system led to speedy bloom of antibiotic resistance amongst bacteria. Proficiency of bacteria to obtain resistance genes generated an unpleasant situation; a grave, but a lot unacknowledged, feature of resistance gene transfer.

Research paper thumbnail of Prevalence and diversity of blaTEM, blaSHV and blaCTX-M variants among multidrug resistant Klebsiella spp. from an urban riverine environment in India

In the present study, we have investigated prevalence and diversity of ESBL genes among Klebsiell... more In the present study, we have investigated prevalence and diversity of ESBL genes among Klebsiella isolates obtained from highly polluted stretch of river Yamuna, India. Phenotypic screenings of 116 Klebsiella isolates revealed~30% were positive for ESBL production. Antibiotic profiling showed multidrug resistance phenotype among 90% isolates. Prevalence of blaTEM, blaSHV and blaCTX-M genes were found to be 57, 54 and 48% respectively. Furthermore, we identified eight variants of blaSHV (SHV-1, SHV-11, SHV-27, SHV-28, SHV-38, SHV-61, SHV-144, SHV-148), three each of blaTEM (TEM-1, TEM-116, TEM-206) and blaCTX-M (CTX-M-15, CTX-M-55, CTX-M-188) among Klebsiella spp. Co-occurrence of blaTEM, blaSHV and blaCTX-M (any two or all three) was observed among 45% Klebsiella isolates. Occurrence of blaCTX-M-188 and blaTEM-206 in environmental isolates of K. pneumoniae has not been reported earlier. Identification of blaTEM-206, blaSHV-27 and blaSHV-144 from Klebsiella spp. and blaTEM-116 from K. quasipneumoniae and K. variicola is the first report from India.

Research paper thumbnail of Biosynthesis and antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles

In the present study extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was achieved using c... more In the present study extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was achieved using cultural supernatant of bacterial isolate Aeromonas dhakensis AS3. Biosynthesis of AgNPs was completed within 120 min by incubating cell free supernatant with silver nitrate solution under illumination. Brown color appearance of solution due to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and absorption maxima centered at 405 nm was indicated formation of AgNPs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum analysis revealed the presence and association of possible biomolecules with AgNPs during synthesis. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) showed spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 5 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum confirmed crystallinity and purity of AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs was found to have significantly independent as well as combined activity against multidrug resistant extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing Acinetobacter junii, E.coli and Klebsiella spp. harboring TEM and/or CTX-M genes. This work demonstrates the possible use of biosynthesized AgNPs to combat ESBLs producing pathogens.

Research paper thumbnail of Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of ESBL Producing Enterobacteriaceae from Highly Polluted Stretch of River Yamuna, India

The rapid increase in number and diversity of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamases (ESBLs) producing En... more The rapid increase in number and diversity of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamases (ESBLs) producing Enterobacteriaceae in natural aquatic environment is a major health concern worldwide. This study investigates abundance and distribution of ESBL producing multidrug resistant Enterobacteriaceae and molecular characterization of ESBL genes among isolates from highly polluted stretch of river Yamuna, India. Water samples were collected from ten different sites distributed across Delhi stretch of river Yamuna, during 2014-15. A total of 506 non duplicate Enterobacteriaceae isolates were obtained. Phenotypic detection of ESBL production and antibiotic sensitivity for 15 different antibiotics were performed according to CLSI guidelines (Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute, 2015). A subset of ESBL positive Enterobacteriaceae isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene and screened for ESBL genes, such as bla CTX-M , bla TEM and bla OXA. Out of 506 non-duplicate bacterial isolates obtained, 175 (34.58%) were positive for ESBL production. Susceptibility pattern for fifteen antibiotics used in this study revealed higher resistance to cefazolin, rifampicin and ampicillin. A high proportion (76.57%) of ESBL positive isolates showed multidrug resistance phenotype, with MAR index of 0.39 at Buddha Vihar and Old Delhi Railway bridge sampling site. Identification and PCR based characterization of ESBL genes revealed the prevalence of bla CTX-M and bla TEM genes to be 88.33% and 61.66%, respectively. Co-occurrence of bla CTX-M and bla TEM genes was detected in 58.33% of the resistant bacteria. The bla OXA gene was not detected in any isolates. This study highlights deteriorating condition of urban aquatic environment due to rising level of ESBL producing Enterobacteriaceae with multidrug resistance phenotype.

Research paper thumbnail of Molecular characterization of resistance determinants and mobile genetic elements of ESBL producing multidrug-resistant bacteria from freshwater lakes in Kashmir, India

SilE in Brevibacterium frigoritolerans • It is new report of CTX-M-100, AmpC & SulI in Atlantibac... more SilE in Brevibacterium frigoritolerans • It is new report of CTX-M-100, AmpC & SulI in Atlantibacter hermanii. • CTX-M-15-ISEcp1-orf477 in E. coli & Aeromonas sp. is new report from Kashmir India. • Arg299Leu mutation in ISEcp1 decreased hydrogen bonds between blaCTX-M-15 & ISEcp1.

Research paper thumbnail of Colistin Interaction and Surface Changes Associated with mcr-1 Conferred Plasmid Mediated Resistance in E. coli and A. veronii Strains

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Current Update on Intrinsic and Acquired Colistin Resistance Mechanisms in Bacteria

Colistin regained global interest as a consequence of the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistan... more Colistin regained global interest as a consequence of the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae. In parallel, colistin-resistant bacteria emerged in response to the unregulated use of this antibiotic. However, some Gram-negative species are intrinsically resistant to colistin activity, such as Neisseria meningitides, Burkholderia species, and Proteus mirabilis. Most identified colistin resistance usually involves modulation of lipid A that decreases or removes early charge-based interaction with colistin through up-regulation of multistep capsular polysaccharide expression. The membrane modifications occur by the addition of cationic phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) or 4-amino-L-arabinose on lipid A that results in decrease in the negative charge on the bacterial surface. Therefore, electrostatic interaction between polycationic colistin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is halted. It has been reported that these modifications on the bacterial surface occur due to overexpression of chromosomally mediated two-component system genes (PmrAB and PhoPQ) and mutation in lipid A biosynthesis genes that result in loss of the ability to produce lipid A and consequently LPS chain, thereafter recently identified variants of plasmid-borne genes (mcr-1 to mcr-10). It was hypothesized that mcr genes derived from intrinsically resistant environmental bacteria that carried chromosomal pmrC gene, a part of the pmrCAB operon, code three proteins viz. pEtN response regulator PmrA, sensor kinase protein PmrAB, and phosphotransferase PmrC. These plasmid-borne mcr genes become a serious concern as they assist in the dissemination of colistin resistance to other pathogenic bacteria. This review presents the progress of multiple strategies of colistin resistance mechanisms in bacteria, mainly focusing on surface changes of the outer membrane LPS structure and other resistance genetic determinants. New handier and versatile methods have been discussed for rapid detection of colistin resistance determinants and the latest approaches to revert colistin resistance that include the use of new drugs, drug combinations and inhibitors. Indeed, more investigations are required to identify the exact role of different colistin resistance determinants that will aid in developing new less toxic and potent drugs to treat bacterial infections. Therefore, colistin resistance should be considered a severe medical issue requiring multisectoral research with proper surveillance and suitable monitoring systems to report the dissemination rate of these resistant genes.

Research paper thumbnail of Emergence of mcr-1 conferred colistin resistance among bacterial isolates from urban sewage water in India

Increased use of colistin, a last resort drug due to failure of carbapenems, has possibly contrib... more Increased use of colistin, a last resort drug due to failure of carbapenems, has possibly contributed in development and spread of resistance to colistin among Enterobacteriaceae. The colistin belongs to the family of polymyxins, cationic polypeptides, with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we obtained 253 non-duplicate bacterial isolates from sewage water in Delhi and phenotypically screened for colistin resistance. Of the 47 positive isolates, the colistin resistance gene mcr-1 was detected among 5 isolates. Based on 16S ribosomal RNA-based identification, bacterial isolates were found to be Escherichia coli, Aeromonas veronii, and Aeromonas dhakensis. Extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)-resistant determinants CTX-M and TEM were detected in all five mcr-1 positive isolates. On the basis of literature survey, this is the first report of mcr-1 gene from Aeromonas veronii and Aeromonas dhakensis worldwide. Furthermore, mcr-1 gene has not been reported earlier from sewage water in India. Antibiotic susceptibility test of all five isolates against 9 different classes of drugs revealed multidrug-resistant phenotype with high minimum inhibitory concentration values. In vitro transconjugation studies showed successful transfer of mcr-1 and other ESBL-resistant determinants. The occurrence of colistin resistance phenotype conferred by plasmid-based mcr-1 gene in the environment and an ever-increasing list of bacterial isolates is a cause of concern. A comprehensive survey of different water bodies and epidemiological studies are required to assess the risk of dissemination of resistance determinants.

Research paper thumbnail of Multitrait plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacterial isolates from Brassica juncea rhizosphere Keratin degradation and growth promotion

Plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria, a beneficial microbe colonizing plant roots, enhanced... more Plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria, a beneficial microbe colonizing plant roots, enhanced crop productivity and offers an attractive way to replace chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and supplements. the keratinous waste which comprises feathers, hairs, nails, skin and wool creates problem of solid waste management due to presence of highly recalcitrant keratin. the multi traits rhizobacteria effective to remove both keratine from the environment by producing keratinase enzyme and to eradicate the chemical fertilizer by providing different PGP activity is novel achievement. in the present study, the effective Pm 2 strain of PGPr was isolated from rhizospheric soil of mustard (Brassica juncea) field, Pantnagar and they were identified on the basis of different biochemical tests as belonging to Bacillus genera. Different plant growth promoting activity, feather degradation and keratinolytic activity was performed and found very effective toward all the parameters. Furthermore, the efficient strain Pm 2 was identified on the basis of 16s rrna sequencing and confirmed as Bacillus cereus. the strain Pm 2 might be used efficiently for keratinous waste management and PGP activity. therefore, the present study suggests that Bacillus cereus have multi traits activity which extremely useful for different PGP activity and biotechnological process involving keratin hydrolysis, feather biodegradation or in the leather industry.

Research paper thumbnail of Lentic and effluent water of Delhi-NCR: a reservoir of multidrug-resistant bacteria harbouring blaCTX-M, blaTEM and blaSHV type ESBL genes

Antimicrobial resistance is not restricted to clinics but also spreading fast in the aquatic envi... more Antimicrobial resistance is not restricted to clinics but also spreading fast in the aquatic environment. This study focused on the prevalence and diversity of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes among bacteria from lentic and effluent water in Delhi-NCR, India. Phenotypic screening of 436 morphologically distinct bacterial isolates collected from diverse sites revealed that 106 (∼24%) isolates were ESBL positive. Antibiotic profiling showed that 42, 60, 78 and 59% ESBL producing isolates collected from Ghazipur slaughterhouse, Lodhi garden pond, Hauz Khas lake and Jasola wastewater treatment plant, respectively, were multidrug-resistant (MDR). The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index varied from 0.20 to 0.32 among selected locations. The prevalence of ESBL gene variants blaSHV, blaTEM and blaCTX-M were found to be 17.64, 35.29 and 64%, respectively. Furthermore, the analysis of obtained gene sequences showed three variants of blaCTX-M (15, 152 and 205) and two variants of blaTEM (TEM-1 and TEM-116) among ESBL producers. The coexistence of 2-3 gene variants was recorded among 48% ESBL positive isolates. New reports from this study include the blaCTX-M gene in Acinetobacter lwoffii, Enterobacter ludwigii, Exiguobacterium mexicanum and Aeromonas caviae. Furthermore, the identification of blaTEM and blaSHV in an environmental isolate of A. caviae is a new report from India.

Research paper thumbnail of Synthesis and characterization of surface-active antimicrobial hyperbranched polyurethane coatings based on oleo-ethers of boric acid

Present study reports a facile synthesis of surface-active antimicrobial hyperbranched polyuretha... more Present study reports a facile synthesis of surface-active antimicrobial hyperbranched polyurethane coatings using oleo-ethers of boric acid (BA) as branching and biocidal moiety (BHPU). The antimicrobial branching center was synthesized via polycondensation reaction of BA and vegetable oil-based diol. The structural characterization of synthesized BHPU and its linear counterpart was investigated using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H, 13 C, and 11 B NMR) spectroscopy techniques. The cured coatings were examined by physico-mechanical, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The antimicrobial behavior of these polymers against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was carried out by well diffusion technique. The appearance of zone of inhibition (ZOI) in case of BHPU confirmed its antimicrobial activity, which arisen due to the presence of cationic moiety in its structure. These investigations showed that the utilization of oleo-ethers of BA as branching agent in synthesis of BHPU coatings induced prominent effect on its physicomechanical, thermal, and biocidal properties. In addition, soil burial study for 210 days was conducted on BHPU film to confirm its contact-killing mechanism against soil-borne bacteria. These results suggest the potential scope of BHPU in various applications such as long-term antimicrobial surface-active coatings for medical devices, packaging industry, paints, etc.

Research paper thumbnail of Molecular characterization of resistance determinants and mobile genetic elements of ESBL producing multidrug-resistant bacteria from freshwater lakes in Kashmir, India

Science of The Total Environment, 2022

BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance conceded as a global concern is a phenomenon that emerged from t... more BACKGROUND Antibiotic resistance conceded as a global concern is a phenomenon that emerged from the bacterial response to the extensive utilization of antimicrobials. The expansion of resistance determinants through horizontal transfer is linked with mobile genetic elements (MGEs) like transposons, insertion sequences, and integrons. Heavy metals also create consequential health hazards. Metal resistance gene in alliance with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and MGEs is assisting bacteria to attain exalted quantity of resistance. METHODOLOGY The present work was carried out to study ARGs bla CTX-M, AmpC, qnrS, MGEs like ISecp1, TN3, TN21, and Int I by performing PCR and sequencing from Wular and Dal lakes of Kashmir; India. The genetic environment analysis of bla CTX-M-15 was carried out using PCR amplification, and sequencing approach followed by in-silico docking and mutational studies. Co-occurrence of ARGs and HMRGs was determined. Plasmid typing was done using PCR-based replicon typing (PBRT) and conjugation assay were also performed. RESULTS Out of 201 isolates attained from 16 locations, 33 were ESBLs producers. 30 ESBL displaying isolates were perceived positive for CTX-M gene, followed by AmpC (17), qnrS (13), ISecp1 (15), TN3 (11), TN21 (11), Int I (18), and SulI (14). The genetic environment of blaCTX-M-15 was observed as (ISEcp1-blaCTX-M-15-orf477), classical promoter-10 TACAAT and -35 TTGAA was found at the 3' region. The 3D structure of CTX-M-15 and ISEcp1 was generated and CTX-M-15-ISEcp1 (R299L) docking and mutation showed a reduction in hydrogen bonds. Co-occurrence of antibiotics and HMRGs (mer, sil, and ars) was found in 18, 14, and 8 isolates. PBRT analysis showed the presence of Inc. groups- B/O, F, 11, HI1, FIA, HI2, N, FIB, L/M. Molecular analysis of transconjugants showed the successful transfer of ARGs, MGEs, and HMRGs in the E. coli J53 AZR strain. CONCLUSION This study highlights the occurrence of ESBL producing bacteria in the aquatic environment of Kashmir India that can serve as a reservoir of ARGs. It also discussed the molecular mechanisms of MGEs to contain the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Research paper thumbnail of Colistin Interaction and Surface Changes Associated with mcr-1 Conferred Plasmid Mediated Resistance in E. coli and A. veronii Strains

Pharmaceutics, 2022

Colistin, a polycationic antimicrobial peptide, is one of the last-resort antibiotics for treatin... more Colistin, a polycationic antimicrobial peptide, is one of the last-resort antibiotics for treating infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. The antibacterial activity of colistin occurs through electrostatic interaction between the polycationic peptide group of colistin and the negatively charged phosphate groups of lipid A membrane. This study investigated the interaction of colistin with the outer membrane and surface constituents of resistant and susceptible strains of Escherichia coli and Aeromonas veronii harboring mcr-1 resistance gene. Bacterial membrane and lipopolysaccharide used in this study were isolated from susceptible as well as colistin-resistant strains of E. coli and A. veronii. Interaction of colistin with the bacterial surface was studied by deoxycholate and lysozyme sensitivity test, N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine (NPN) uptake assay, Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Zeta potential measurements and 1H NMR. The binding affinity of colistin was fou...

Research paper thumbnail of Plasmid-Mediated Ampicillin, Quinolone, and Heavy Metal Co-Resistance among ESBL-Producing Isolates from the Yamuna River, New Delhi, India

Antibiotics, 2020

Antibiotic resistance is one of the major current global health crises. Because of increasing con... more Antibiotic resistance is one of the major current global health crises. Because of increasing contamination with antimicrobials, pesticides, and heavy metals, the aquatic environment has become a hotspot for emergence, maintenance, and dissemination of antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes among bacteria. The aim of the present study was to determine the co-resistance to quinolones, ampicillin, and heavy metals among the bacterial isolates harboring extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) genes. Among 73 bacterial strains isolated from a highly polluted stretch of the Yamuna River in Delhi, those carrying blaCTX-M, blaTEM, or blaSHV genes were analyzed to detect the genetic determinants of resistance to quinolones, ampicillin, mercury, and arsenic. The plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) gene qnrS was found in 22 isolates; however, the qnrA, B, C, and qnrD genes could not be detected in any of the bacteria. Two variants of CMY, blaCMY-2 and blaCMY-42, were identified a...

Research paper thumbnail of Current Update on Intrinsic and Acquired Colistin Resistance Mechanisms in Bacteria

Frontiers in Medicine, 2021

Colistin regained global interest as a consequence of the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistan... more Colistin regained global interest as a consequence of the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae. In parallel, colistin-resistant bacteria emerged in response to the unregulated use of this antibiotic. However, some Gram-negative species are intrinsically resistant to colistin activity, such as Neisseria meningitides, Burkholderia species, and Proteus mirabilis. Most identified colistin resistance usually involves modulation of lipid A that decreases or removes early charge-based interaction with colistin through up-regulation of multistep capsular polysaccharide expression. The membrane modifications occur by the addition of cationic phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) or 4-amino-l-arabinose on lipid A that results in decrease in the negative charge on the bacterial surface. Therefore, electrostatic interaction between polycationic colistin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is halted. It has been reported that these modifications on the bacterial surface occur ...

Research paper thumbnail of Emergence of mcr-1 conferred colistin resistance among bacterial isolates from urban sewage water in India

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2019

Increased use of colistin, a last resort drug due to failure of carbapenems, has possibly contrib... more Increased use of colistin, a last resort drug due to failure of carbapenems, has possibly contributed in development and spread of resistance to colistin among Enterobacteriaceae. The colistin belongs to the family of polymyxins, cationic polypeptides, with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we obtained 253 non-duplicate bacterial isolates from sewage water in Delhi and phenotypically screened for colistin resistance. Of the 47 positive isolates, the colistin resistance gene mcr-1 was detected among 5 isolates. Based on 16S ribosomal RNA-based identification, bacterial isolates were found to be Escherichia coli, Aeromonas veronii, and Aeromonas dhakensis. Extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)-resistant determinants CTX-M and TEM were detected in all five mcr-1 positive isolates. On the basis of literature survey, this is the first report of mcr-1 gene from Aeromonas veronii and Aeromonas dhakensis worldwide. Furthermore, mcr-1 gene has not been reported earlier from sewage water in India. Antibiotic susceptibility test of all five isolates against 9 different classes of drugs revealed multidrug-resistant phenotype with high minimum inhibitory concentration values. In vitro transconjugation studies showed successful transfer of mcr-1 and other ESBL-resistant determinants. The occurrence of colistin resistance phenotype conferred by plasmid-based mcr-1 gene in the environment and an ever-increasing list of bacterial isolates is a cause of concern. A comprehensive survey of different water bodies and epidemiological studies are required to assess the risk of dissemination of resistance determinants.

Research paper thumbnail of Antibiotics, Resistome and Resistance Mechanisms: A Bacterial Perspective

Frontiers in microbiology, 2018

History of mankind is regarded as struggle against infectious diseases. Rather than observing the... more History of mankind is regarded as struggle against infectious diseases. Rather than observing the withering away of bacterial diseases, antibiotic resistance has emerged as a serious global health concern. Medium of antibiotic resistance in bacteria varies greatly and comprises of target protection, target substitution, antibiotic detoxification and block of intracellular antibiotic accumulation. Further aggravation to prevailing situation arose on observing bacteria gradually becoming resistant to different classes of antibiotics through acquisition of resistance genes from same and different genera of bacteria. Attributing bacteria with feature of better adaptability, dispersal of antibiotic resistance genes to minimize effects of antibiotics by various means including horizontal gene transfer (conjugation, transformation, and transduction), Mobile genetic elements (plasmids, transposons, insertion sequences, integrons, and integrative-conjugative elements) and bacterial toxin-ant...

Research paper thumbnail of Multitrait plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacterial isolates fromBrassica juncearhizosphere

Communicative & Integrative Biology, 2014

Plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria, a beneficial microbe colonizing plant roots, enhanced... more Plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria, a beneficial microbe colonizing plant roots, enhanced crop productivity and offers an attractive way to replace chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and supplements. the keratinous waste which comprises feathers, hairs, nails, skin and wool creates problem of solid waste management due to presence of highly recalcitrant keratin. the multi traits rhizobacteria effective to remove both keratine from the environment by producing keratinase enzyme and to eradicate the chemical fertilizer by providing different PGP activity is novel achievement. in the present study, the effective Pm 2 strain of PGPr was isolated from rhizospheric soil of mustard (Brassica juncea) field, Pantnagar and they were identified on the basis of different biochemical tests as belonging to Bacillus genera. Different plant growth promoting activity, feather degradation and keratinolytic activity was performed and found very effective toward all the parameters. Furthermore, the efficient strain Pm 2 was identified on the basis of 16s rrna sequencing and confirmed as Bacillus cereus. the strain Pm 2 might be used efficiently for keratinous waste management and PGP activity. therefore, the present study suggests that Bacillus cereus have multi traits activity which extremely useful for different PGP activity and biotechnological process involving keratin hydrolysis, feather biodegradation or in the leather industry.

Research paper thumbnail of Lentic and effluent water of Delhi-NCR: a reservoir of multidrug-resistant bacteria harbouring blaCTX-M, blaTEM and blaSHV type ESBL genes

Journal of Water and Health, 2021

Antimicrobial resistance is not restricted to clinics but also spreading fast in the aquatic envi... more Antimicrobial resistance is not restricted to clinics but also spreading fast in the aquatic environment. This study focused on the prevalence and diversity of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes among bacteria from lentic and effluent water in Delhi-NCR, India. Phenotypic screening of 436 morphologically distinct bacterial isolates collected from diverse sites revealed that 106 (∼24%) isolates were ESBL positive. Antibiotic profiling showed that 42, 60, 78 and 59% ESBL producing isolates collected from Ghazipur slaughterhouse, Lodhi garden pond, Hauz Khas lake and Jasola wastewater treatment plant, respectively, were multidrug-resistant (MDR). The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index varied from 0.20 to 0.32 among selected locations. The prevalence of ESBL gene variants blaSHV, blaTEM and blaCTX-M were found to be 17.64, 35.29 and 64%, respectively. Furthermore, the analysis of obtained gene sequences showed three variants of blaCTX-M (15, 152 and 205) and two variants...

Research paper thumbnail of Biosynthesis, characterization and antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles against ESBL producing water-borne pathogens

In the present work, biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using isolate of Shigella sp. A... more In the present work, biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using isolate of Shigella sp. AS8 culture supernatant as a reducing agent has been demonstrated. Synthesis of AgNPs was completed within 180 min of incubation at 35 °C under bright light condition. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Dynamic light scattering (DLS), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and Atomic force microscopy (AFM). The formation of brown color reaction product with strong UV-vis spectrum absorption maxima at 411 nm due to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) indicated the synthesis of AgNPs. FTIR spectrum confirmed association of supernatant protein molecules with synthesized nanoparticles. DLS, TEM, FE-SEM and AFM showed biosynthesized nanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average size of 20 nm. EDX data analysis reveals presence of metallic silver. While, XRD analysis revealed that synthesized particles were pure and crystalline in nature. Further, AgNPs were evaluated as an antibacterial agent against extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) positive water-borne pathogens. The results of present study suggest that biosynthesized AgNPs can be used to combat ESBL producing multidrug resistant bacteria.

Research paper thumbnail of Antibiotics, Resistome and Resistance Mechanisms: A Bacterial Perspective

History of mankind is regarded as struggle against infectious diseases. Rather than observing the... more History of mankind is regarded as struggle against infectious diseases. Rather than observing the withering away of bacterial diseases, antibiotic resistance has emerged as a serious global health concern. Medium of antibiotic resistance in bacteria varies greatly and comprises of target protection, target substitution, antibiotic detoxification and block of intracellular antibiotic accumulation. Further aggravation to prevailing situation arose on observing bacteria gradually becoming resistant to different classes of antibiotics through acquisition of resistance genes from same and different genera of bacteria. Attributing bacteria with feature of better adaptability, dispersal of antibiotic resistance genes to minimize effects of antibiotics by various means including horizontal gene transfer (conjugation, transformation, and transduction), Mobile genetic elements (plasmids, transposons, insertion sequences, integrons, and integrative-conjugative elements) and bacterial toxin-antitoxin system led to speedy bloom of antibiotic resistance amongst bacteria. Proficiency of bacteria to obtain resistance genes generated an unpleasant situation; a grave, but a lot unacknowledged, feature of resistance gene transfer.

Research paper thumbnail of Prevalence and diversity of blaTEM, blaSHV and blaCTX-M variants among multidrug resistant Klebsiella spp. from an urban riverine environment in India

In the present study, we have investigated prevalence and diversity of ESBL genes among Klebsiell... more In the present study, we have investigated prevalence and diversity of ESBL genes among Klebsiella isolates obtained from highly polluted stretch of river Yamuna, India. Phenotypic screenings of 116 Klebsiella isolates revealed~30% were positive for ESBL production. Antibiotic profiling showed multidrug resistance phenotype among 90% isolates. Prevalence of blaTEM, blaSHV and blaCTX-M genes were found to be 57, 54 and 48% respectively. Furthermore, we identified eight variants of blaSHV (SHV-1, SHV-11, SHV-27, SHV-28, SHV-38, SHV-61, SHV-144, SHV-148), three each of blaTEM (TEM-1, TEM-116, TEM-206) and blaCTX-M (CTX-M-15, CTX-M-55, CTX-M-188) among Klebsiella spp. Co-occurrence of blaTEM, blaSHV and blaCTX-M (any two or all three) was observed among 45% Klebsiella isolates. Occurrence of blaCTX-M-188 and blaTEM-206 in environmental isolates of K. pneumoniae has not been reported earlier. Identification of blaTEM-206, blaSHV-27 and blaSHV-144 from Klebsiella spp. and blaTEM-116 from K. quasipneumoniae and K. variicola is the first report from India.

Research paper thumbnail of Biosynthesis and antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles

In the present study extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was achieved using c... more In the present study extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was achieved using cultural supernatant of bacterial isolate Aeromonas dhakensis AS3. Biosynthesis of AgNPs was completed within 120 min by incubating cell free supernatant with silver nitrate solution under illumination. Brown color appearance of solution due to surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and absorption maxima centered at 405 nm was indicated formation of AgNPs. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectrum analysis revealed the presence and association of possible biomolecules with AgNPs during synthesis. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) showed spherical nanoparticles with an average size of 5 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum confirmed crystallinity and purity of AgNPs. The synthesized AgNPs was found to have significantly independent as well as combined activity against multidrug resistant extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) producing Acinetobacter junii, E.coli and Klebsiella spp. harboring TEM and/or CTX-M genes. This work demonstrates the possible use of biosynthesized AgNPs to combat ESBLs producing pathogens.

Research paper thumbnail of Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of ESBL Producing Enterobacteriaceae from Highly Polluted Stretch of River Yamuna, India

The rapid increase in number and diversity of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamases (ESBLs) producing En... more The rapid increase in number and diversity of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamases (ESBLs) producing Enterobacteriaceae in natural aquatic environment is a major health concern worldwide. This study investigates abundance and distribution of ESBL producing multidrug resistant Enterobacteriaceae and molecular characterization of ESBL genes among isolates from highly polluted stretch of river Yamuna, India. Water samples were collected from ten different sites distributed across Delhi stretch of river Yamuna, during 2014-15. A total of 506 non duplicate Enterobacteriaceae isolates were obtained. Phenotypic detection of ESBL production and antibiotic sensitivity for 15 different antibiotics were performed according to CLSI guidelines (Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute, 2015). A subset of ESBL positive Enterobacteriaceae isolates were identified by 16S rRNA gene and screened for ESBL genes, such as bla CTX-M , bla TEM and bla OXA. Out of 506 non-duplicate bacterial isolates obtained, 175 (34.58%) were positive for ESBL production. Susceptibility pattern for fifteen antibiotics used in this study revealed higher resistance to cefazolin, rifampicin and ampicillin. A high proportion (76.57%) of ESBL positive isolates showed multidrug resistance phenotype, with MAR index of 0.39 at Buddha Vihar and Old Delhi Railway bridge sampling site. Identification and PCR based characterization of ESBL genes revealed the prevalence of bla CTX-M and bla TEM genes to be 88.33% and 61.66%, respectively. Co-occurrence of bla CTX-M and bla TEM genes was detected in 58.33% of the resistant bacteria. The bla OXA gene was not detected in any isolates. This study highlights deteriorating condition of urban aquatic environment due to rising level of ESBL producing Enterobacteriaceae with multidrug resistance phenotype.

Research paper thumbnail of Molecular characterization of resistance determinants and mobile genetic elements of ESBL producing multidrug-resistant bacteria from freshwater lakes in Kashmir, India

SilE in Brevibacterium frigoritolerans • It is new report of CTX-M-100, AmpC & SulI in Atlantibac... more SilE in Brevibacterium frigoritolerans • It is new report of CTX-M-100, AmpC & SulI in Atlantibacter hermanii. • CTX-M-15-ISEcp1-orf477 in E. coli & Aeromonas sp. is new report from Kashmir India. • Arg299Leu mutation in ISEcp1 decreased hydrogen bonds between blaCTX-M-15 & ISEcp1.

Research paper thumbnail of Colistin Interaction and Surface Changes Associated with mcr-1 Conferred Plasmid Mediated Resistance in E. coli and A. veronii Strains

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Research paper thumbnail of Current Update on Intrinsic and Acquired Colistin Resistance Mechanisms in Bacteria

Colistin regained global interest as a consequence of the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistan... more Colistin regained global interest as a consequence of the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae. In parallel, colistin-resistant bacteria emerged in response to the unregulated use of this antibiotic. However, some Gram-negative species are intrinsically resistant to colistin activity, such as Neisseria meningitides, Burkholderia species, and Proteus mirabilis. Most identified colistin resistance usually involves modulation of lipid A that decreases or removes early charge-based interaction with colistin through up-regulation of multistep capsular polysaccharide expression. The membrane modifications occur by the addition of cationic phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) or 4-amino-L-arabinose on lipid A that results in decrease in the negative charge on the bacterial surface. Therefore, electrostatic interaction between polycationic colistin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is halted. It has been reported that these modifications on the bacterial surface occur due to overexpression of chromosomally mediated two-component system genes (PmrAB and PhoPQ) and mutation in lipid A biosynthesis genes that result in loss of the ability to produce lipid A and consequently LPS chain, thereafter recently identified variants of plasmid-borne genes (mcr-1 to mcr-10). It was hypothesized that mcr genes derived from intrinsically resistant environmental bacteria that carried chromosomal pmrC gene, a part of the pmrCAB operon, code three proteins viz. pEtN response regulator PmrA, sensor kinase protein PmrAB, and phosphotransferase PmrC. These plasmid-borne mcr genes become a serious concern as they assist in the dissemination of colistin resistance to other pathogenic bacteria. This review presents the progress of multiple strategies of colistin resistance mechanisms in bacteria, mainly focusing on surface changes of the outer membrane LPS structure and other resistance genetic determinants. New handier and versatile methods have been discussed for rapid detection of colistin resistance determinants and the latest approaches to revert colistin resistance that include the use of new drugs, drug combinations and inhibitors. Indeed, more investigations are required to identify the exact role of different colistin resistance determinants that will aid in developing new less toxic and potent drugs to treat bacterial infections. Therefore, colistin resistance should be considered a severe medical issue requiring multisectoral research with proper surveillance and suitable monitoring systems to report the dissemination rate of these resistant genes.

Research paper thumbnail of Emergence of mcr-1 conferred colistin resistance among bacterial isolates from urban sewage water in India

Increased use of colistin, a last resort drug due to failure of carbapenems, has possibly contrib... more Increased use of colistin, a last resort drug due to failure of carbapenems, has possibly contributed in development and spread of resistance to colistin among Enterobacteriaceae. The colistin belongs to the family of polymyxins, cationic polypeptides, with broad-spectrum activity against Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we obtained 253 non-duplicate bacterial isolates from sewage water in Delhi and phenotypically screened for colistin resistance. Of the 47 positive isolates, the colistin resistance gene mcr-1 was detected among 5 isolates. Based on 16S ribosomal RNA-based identification, bacterial isolates were found to be Escherichia coli, Aeromonas veronii, and Aeromonas dhakensis. Extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL)-resistant determinants CTX-M and TEM were detected in all five mcr-1 positive isolates. On the basis of literature survey, this is the first report of mcr-1 gene from Aeromonas veronii and Aeromonas dhakensis worldwide. Furthermore, mcr-1 gene has not been reported earlier from sewage water in India. Antibiotic susceptibility test of all five isolates against 9 different classes of drugs revealed multidrug-resistant phenotype with high minimum inhibitory concentration values. In vitro transconjugation studies showed successful transfer of mcr-1 and other ESBL-resistant determinants. The occurrence of colistin resistance phenotype conferred by plasmid-based mcr-1 gene in the environment and an ever-increasing list of bacterial isolates is a cause of concern. A comprehensive survey of different water bodies and epidemiological studies are required to assess the risk of dissemination of resistance determinants.

Research paper thumbnail of Multitrait plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacterial isolates from Brassica juncea rhizosphere Keratin degradation and growth promotion

Plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria, a beneficial microbe colonizing plant roots, enhanced... more Plant growth promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria, a beneficial microbe colonizing plant roots, enhanced crop productivity and offers an attractive way to replace chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and supplements. the keratinous waste which comprises feathers, hairs, nails, skin and wool creates problem of solid waste management due to presence of highly recalcitrant keratin. the multi traits rhizobacteria effective to remove both keratine from the environment by producing keratinase enzyme and to eradicate the chemical fertilizer by providing different PGP activity is novel achievement. in the present study, the effective Pm 2 strain of PGPr was isolated from rhizospheric soil of mustard (Brassica juncea) field, Pantnagar and they were identified on the basis of different biochemical tests as belonging to Bacillus genera. Different plant growth promoting activity, feather degradation and keratinolytic activity was performed and found very effective toward all the parameters. Furthermore, the efficient strain Pm 2 was identified on the basis of 16s rrna sequencing and confirmed as Bacillus cereus. the strain Pm 2 might be used efficiently for keratinous waste management and PGP activity. therefore, the present study suggests that Bacillus cereus have multi traits activity which extremely useful for different PGP activity and biotechnological process involving keratin hydrolysis, feather biodegradation or in the leather industry.

Research paper thumbnail of Lentic and effluent water of Delhi-NCR: a reservoir of multidrug-resistant bacteria harbouring blaCTX-M, blaTEM and blaSHV type ESBL genes

Antimicrobial resistance is not restricted to clinics but also spreading fast in the aquatic envi... more Antimicrobial resistance is not restricted to clinics but also spreading fast in the aquatic environment. This study focused on the prevalence and diversity of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes among bacteria from lentic and effluent water in Delhi-NCR, India. Phenotypic screening of 436 morphologically distinct bacterial isolates collected from diverse sites revealed that 106 (∼24%) isolates were ESBL positive. Antibiotic profiling showed that 42, 60, 78 and 59% ESBL producing isolates collected from Ghazipur slaughterhouse, Lodhi garden pond, Hauz Khas lake and Jasola wastewater treatment plant, respectively, were multidrug-resistant (MDR). The multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index varied from 0.20 to 0.32 among selected locations. The prevalence of ESBL gene variants blaSHV, blaTEM and blaCTX-M were found to be 17.64, 35.29 and 64%, respectively. Furthermore, the analysis of obtained gene sequences showed three variants of blaCTX-M (15, 152 and 205) and two variants of blaTEM (TEM-1 and TEM-116) among ESBL producers. The coexistence of 2-3 gene variants was recorded among 48% ESBL positive isolates. New reports from this study include the blaCTX-M gene in Acinetobacter lwoffii, Enterobacter ludwigii, Exiguobacterium mexicanum and Aeromonas caviae. Furthermore, the identification of blaTEM and blaSHV in an environmental isolate of A. caviae is a new report from India.

Research paper thumbnail of Synthesis and characterization of surface-active antimicrobial hyperbranched polyurethane coatings based on oleo-ethers of boric acid

Present study reports a facile synthesis of surface-active antimicrobial hyperbranched polyuretha... more Present study reports a facile synthesis of surface-active antimicrobial hyperbranched polyurethane coatings using oleo-ethers of boric acid (BA) as branching and biocidal moiety (BHPU). The antimicrobial branching center was synthesized via polycondensation reaction of BA and vegetable oil-based diol. The structural characterization of synthesized BHPU and its linear counterpart was investigated using Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1 H, 13 C, and 11 B NMR) spectroscopy techniques. The cured coatings were examined by physico-mechanical, thermogravimetric (TG) analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The antimicrobial behavior of these polymers against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was carried out by well diffusion technique. The appearance of zone of inhibition (ZOI) in case of BHPU confirmed its antimicrobial activity, which arisen due to the presence of cationic moiety in its structure. These investigations showed that the utilization of oleo-ethers of BA as branching agent in synthesis of BHPU coatings induced prominent effect on its physicomechanical, thermal, and biocidal properties. In addition, soil burial study for 210 days was conducted on BHPU film to confirm its contact-killing mechanism against soil-borne bacteria. These results suggest the potential scope of BHPU in various applications such as long-term antimicrobial surface-active coatings for medical devices, packaging industry, paints, etc.