Occurrence and Characteristics of Mobile Colistin Resistance (mcr) Gene-Containing Isolates from the Environment: A Review

The emergence and spread of mobile colistin (COL) resistance (mcr) genes jeopardize the efficacy of COL, a last resort antibiotic for treating deadly infections. COL has been used in livestock for decades globally. Bacteria have mobilized mcr genes (mcr-1 to mcr-9). Mcr-gene-containing bacteria (MGCB) have disseminated by horizontal/lateral transfer into diverse ecosystems, including aquatic, soil, botanical, wildlife, animal environment, and public places. The mcr-1, mcr-2, mcr-3, mcr-5, mcr-7, and mcr-8 have been detected in isolates from and/or directly in environmental samples. These genes are harboured by Escherichia coli, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, Proteus, Salmonella, Citrobacter, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Kluyvera, Aeromonas, Providencia, and Raulotella isolates. Different conjugative and non-conjugative plasmids form the backbones for mcr in these isolates, but mcr have also been integrated into the chromosome of some strains. Insertion sequences (IS) (especially ISApl1) located upstream or downstream of mcr, class 1–3 integrons, and transposons are other drivers of mcr in the environment. Genes encoding multi-/extensive-drug resistance and virulence are often co-located with mcr on plasmids in environmental isolates. Transmission of mcr to/among environmental strains is clonally unrestricted. Contact with the mcr-containing reservoirs, consumption of contaminated animal-/plant-based foods or water, international animal-/plant-based food trades and travel, are routes for transmission of MGCB.