• Investigating the effect of tetracycline antibiotic on tetQ gene transfer
  • Golshan Shahebrahimi,1 AmirAli mousavi salehi,2,*
    1. Shahid Chamran University Ahwaz Iran
    2. Shahid Chamran University Ahwaz Iran


  • Introduction: The human intestine is a very suitable place for the growth and reproduction of its natural microflora, and in case of problems, it is the basis for the production of infection for pathogenic bacteria. Human gut bacteria have many roles in human health, most of which are beneficial or neutral to the host. Until recently, bacterial pathogens were the main focus of studies of antibiotic resistance genes and their spread. The possibility that resistance genes in the human colon may pose a serious threat to human health was first raised in connection with post-surgical infections, which are usually caused by the natural microflora of the patient or the patient's caregivers. The entry of uncooked food contains resistant bacteria in the intestine, which, if this happens, will be able to combine with the human microflora. At the same time, potentially pathogenic bacteria live in the intestine, such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, enterococcus species. , Clostridium species and Bacteroidetes species. In the study conducted on DNA sequences for resistance genes found in different bacteria in the human colon or in other places, it has been shown that if the genes found in two different bacteria species are at least 95% identical , this gene must have been transferred horizontally. To determine what type of element carries the tetQ sequence, the DNA of some strains carrying tetQ is examined with the DNA of a conjugative transposon known as tetQ, known as CTnDOT. The specificity of this sequence is that the transfer of CTnDOT and related conjugated transposons is stimulated 100-1000-fold by tetracycline. Therefore, the widespread transmission of tetQ, which has occurred over the past three decades, may have been caused by the use of tetracycline.Therefore, the widespread transmission of tetQ, which has occurred during the past three decades, may have been caused by the use of tetracycline. In another study, it was found that before the widespread use of tetracycline, the transfer of this gene in bacteria reached the rate of 20-30%. Meanwhile, studies on CTnDOT type element in 1990 showed that horizontal gene transfer even It happened before the intensive use of tetracycline. Early childhood antibiotic exposure is associated with immune, neurological, and gastrointestinal effects, and antibiotic use at any age is associated with negative effects on the gut microflora that lead to the emergence of Diarrhea becomes resistant to antibiotics, it is related. Gut microbiota also plays a role in the activation and inactivation of drugs such as sulfasalazine, digoxin, irinotecan, chloramphenicol, and nitrobenzodiazepines
  • Methods: At first, stool samples were collected from Spain and the United States of America. In the sample that carries the bacteria in the aforementioned resistance genes, it was included in the known classification of resistance gene families. Therefore, based on the analysis of the number and types of microorganisms and their ability to resist, it was defined as the average fraction of the genome encoding resistance genes for a specific antibiotic or other antibiotics.
  • Results: According to the tests and the obtained results, it was found that in the presence of tetracycline antibiotic, there is a 100-1000 times probability of tetQ resistance gene displacement in the natural microflora, which indicates that under specific conditions, this antibiotic no longer has its lethality. and causes resistance in other species
  • Conclusion: With the widespread production of industrial and natural antibiotics, the resistance of the natural microflora of the body will increase to the same extent, and this is a serious risk for the health of humans and animals that use antibiotics for treatment. For this reason, using this medicine correctly can minimize the risk of antibiotic resistance.
  • Keywords: Tetracycline antibiotic. tetQ resistance gene. CTnDOT element