Single-use polyethylene terephthalate bottle-derived nanoplastics propagate antibiotic resistance in bacteria via transformation and outer membrane vesicle secretion

Abstract

Plastic pollution arising from single-use plastic bottles (SUPBs) and containers leads to the formation of micro/nanoplastics (NPs). These NPs raise concerns due to their potential toxicity and interactions with microorganisms. In various environments, including our digestive system, both microorganisms and plastics coexist. The interactions between these NPs and microorganisms can have far-reaching consequences, potentially affecting the ecosystems and human health. Therefore, understanding these interactions is crucial for addressing the challenges posed by plastic pollution. This study investigated the role of NPs in propagating antibiotic resistance (AR), specifically through outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), which is a mechanism that has not been fully explored to date in terms of NPs' effects. To explore this, NPs were synthesized using polyethylene terephthalate (PET) SUPBs, mimicking the natural chemical composition of environmental nanoplastics, unlike previous studies, which used pure PET, polystyrene (PS) or other pure plastic materials. The resulting PET bottle-derived nanoplastics (PBNPs), which exhibited diverse shapes and sizes (50–850 nm), were found to facilitate horizontal gene transfer (HGT) through transformation and outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), enabling the transport of plasmids among bacteria. In transformation, PBNPs physically carried plasmids across the bacterial membrane. In another scenario, PBNPs induced oxidative stress and bacterial surface damage, which led to the upregulation of stress response-associated genes and the escalation of OMV secretion in E. coli. This novel pathway highlights how PBNPs contribute to AR gene dissemination, potentially exacerbating the global antibiotic resistance crisis. Furthermore, PBNPs mediate cross-species gene transfer from E. coli to Lactobacillus acidophilus, underscoring their impact on diverse microorganisms, including those in the human gut. Our findings suggest that nanoplastics may be an unrecognized contributor to the rising tide of antibiotic resistance, with significant consequences for human health and the environment. Molecular analyses revealed the upregulated expression of genes associated with stress response and OMV secretion, offering deeper insights into the biological mechanisms affected by PBNPs. This study offers crucial insights into the interactions of NPs and microorganisms for developing strategies to address the ecological and health implications of nanoplastic contamination.