Objective
The widespread use of antibiotics has resulted in the rapid dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes amongst bacterial populations. Little is known about the natural reservoir for such resistance genes and how resistance is disseminated in non-clinical environments. The comprehensive survey of the prevalence, distribution, mobility and selection of antibiotic resistance genes within bacterial populations is the major objective of this proposed study. Three antibiotics, gentamicin, streptomycin and tetracycline will be used to select for phenotypic resistance in culturable populations. Published sequence data for resistance genes will be used as a data base for molecular studies to enable the design of probes and primers for PCR screening. The focus of the study will be on discrete genes responsible for antibiotic modification, efflux or ribosome protection. DNA will be extracted directly from all samples using standardized protocols and used for PCR screening to detect the most prevalent genes. Dominant PCR products will be sequenced and sequences compared to the database. This will provide optimized probes and primers for screening the cultured bacteria. In addition, a comprehensive study will be undertaken in the same samples to determine the presence of the actinomycetes responsible for production of the three antibiotics or closely related compounds. Again a phenotypic and genotypic approach will be taken.
The potential for transfer and evidence of mobility will be obtained by exogenous isolation of resistance genes on plasmids or tranposons in marked recipients, obviating the need for culture. The resulting transconjugants will be screened for key genes. Finally each participant will focus on a specific environment to investigate environmental impacts on resistance incidence and study the effects of selection pressure on its prevalence and transfer.
The study will provide a better understanding of prevalence and circulation of key antibiotic resistance genes and their natural reservoirs. This data will be essential for regulating the safe use of antibiotic resistance genes as markers in recombinant organisms released into the environment. In addition to improving our understanding of how resistance genes evolve and understanding the ecology of antibiotic production.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences microbiology bacteriology
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics DNA
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy pharmaceutical drugs antibiotics
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug resistance antibiotic resistance
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
COVENTRY
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.