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Occurrence of Resistance to Antibiotics, UV-B, and Arsenic in Bacteria Isolated from Extreme Environments in High-Altitude (Above 4400 m) Andean Wetlands

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Abstract

High-altitude Andean wetlands are pristine environments with extreme conditions such as high UV radiation, high heavy metal content (mainly arsenic), high salinity, and oligotrophy. In this paper, the UV-B resistance and tolerance to arsenic of phylogenetically characterized bacteria (Actinobacteria [six isolates], Firmicutes [four isolates], and γ-Proteobacteria [three isolates]) isolated from Laguna Vilama (4400-m altitude) and Laguna Azul (4560 m) were determined. In addition, given that multiple antibiotic resistances were also determined, a relationship between antibiotic resistances as a consequence of mutagenic ability or in relation to metal resistance is proposed. High UV-B resistances were found, since after 30 min (0.7 KJ m−2) and 60 min (1.4 KJ m−2) of irradiation, most of the studied bacteria did not show a decreased survival; what is more, many of them had an improved survival with the increased doses. Augmentations in mutagenesis rates were observed after UV-B irradiation in only 4 of the 13 tested isolates. Arsenite tolerance was also established in 8 of the 13 tested strains: Staphylococcus saprophyticus A3 and Micrococcus sp. A7, which were able to grow in media containing up to 10 mM As(III). Finally, predominance of antibiotic resistances (azithromycin, erythromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin, streptomycin, chloramphenicol, gentamycin, kanamycin, tetracycline, and ampicillin) was found, in all the isolated strains from both wetlands, with unexpectedly high minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs; >2 mg mL−1) for macrolides. These results demonstrate that in extreme environments like high-altitude wetlands there is a correlation of multiresistances to UV-B radiation and arsenic, and that antibiotic resistances are also widespread in these pristine environments, where antibiotic selective pressure is supposed to be absent.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Fundación Antorchas No. 14248-133, Agencia Nacional de Promoción Científica y Tecnológica and Fundación BBVA. Verónica Fernández Zenoff, Julián Dib, and Jessica Motok are supported by CONICET fellowships.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. PROIMI–Planta Piloto de Procesos Industriales Microbiológicos, Avenida Belgrano y Pasaje Caseros, 4000, Tucumán, Argentina

    Julián Dib, Jessica Motok, Verónica Fernández Zenoff, Omar Ordoñez & María Eugenia Farías

  2. CONICET—Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Julián Dib, Jessica Motok, Verónica Fernández Zenoff, Omar Ordoñez & María Eugenia Farías

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  1. Julián Dib
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  2. Jessica Motok
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  3. Verónica Fernández Zenoff
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  4. Omar Ordoñez
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  5. María Eugenia Farías
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Correspondence to María Eugenia Farías.

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Dib, J., Motok, J., Zenoff, V.F. et al. Occurrence of Resistance to Antibiotics, UV-B, and Arsenic in Bacteria Isolated from Extreme Environments in High-Altitude (Above 4400 m) Andean Wetlands. Curr Microbiol 56, 510–517 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9103-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-008-9103-2

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