Reducing antimicrobial resistant bacteria with the use of cold atmospheric plasma: Mechanism of action and influence on mutation and horizontal gene t

项目描述：在动物生产中广泛使用和滥用抗生素导致农场出现抗微生物药物耐药性细菌，这增加了抗生素耐药性的全球负担，对人类健康和粮食安全产生重大影响。迄今为止，在动物养殖场限制抗生素耐药性的重大努力主要集中在控制抗菌药物的供应和使用上。然而，有证据表明，尽管将抗菌素的使用减少到几乎为零，但抗菌素耐药性致病菌仍然存在并传播。因此，抗菌素耐药性在牲畜中的发展和持续存在不仅仅是一个需要通过减少抗菌素使用来解决的问题。我们已经表明，清洁和消毒发挥着非常重要的作用，但化学消毒剂的广泛使用与抗生素耐药性的出现有关，并对环境产生了相当大的影响。因此，有必要在农场层面制定新的可持续净化战略。冷大气等离子体（CAP）是一种新型、无残留、无抗生素、非热技术，在各种不同的环境下都具有抗菌性能。等离子体描述了电离气体的状态（物质的第四种状态），自然的例子包括北极光、闪电和太阳风。在我们的实验室里，我们通过放电激发气体分子来产生CAP。由于其所含的活性分子和物质（如氧/氮活性物质），CAP具有抑制细菌的潜力。我们之前的研究已经证明，CAP在清除不同表面的细菌病原体方面是有效的。本项目旨在探索使用CAP减少农场表面常见的AMR细菌污染的可行性，以及CAP对细菌的生物效应。你们将调查：i) CAP对之前在农场发现的AMR细菌的效果；ii)利用功能基因组学研究cap介导的抗AMR细菌作用机制；iii) CAP对细菌中抗菌素耐药性突变和水平转移的影响；iv) CAP对非生物表面抗菌素耐药性细菌的控制效果。成功的学生将加入由两个跨学科研究小组组成的联盟，可以使用布里斯托尔大学（分子细菌学，蛋白质组学/功能基因组学）和西英格兰布里斯托尔大学（冷等离子体技术，微生物学）的世界级研究设施。学生将得到优秀的培训和主管团队有意义的支持，并培养雇主所需要的技术技能和进取精神。

Project description:The widespread use and misuse of antibiotics in animal production has led to the emergence of antimicrobial-resistantAMR bacteria on farms, which adds to the global burden of AMR, which has significant impacts on human health andfood security. Significant efforts to limit AMR on animal farms have so far focused on controlling the supply and use ofantimicrobial drugs. However, evidence shows that AMR pathogenic bacteria can persist and spread despite reducingantimicrobial use to almost zero. AMR development and persistence in livestock is therefore not only an issue to beaddressed by reducing antimicrobial use. We have shown that cleaning and disinfection have a very important role toplay, but the extensive use of chemical disinfectants has been associated with the emergence of AMR and has aconsiderable environmental impact. Therefore, new sustainable strategies for decontamination at the farm level arenecessary. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel, residue and antibiotic-free, non-thermal technology shown to haveantibacterial properties in a variety of different settings. Plasma describes the state of an ionised gas (4th state ofmatter), with natural examples including the northern lights, lightening and solar winds. In our lab, we produce CAP byexcitation of gas molecules using electrical discharges. CAP has the potential to inhibit bacteria due to the reactivemolecules and species it contains (e.g. oxygen/nitrogen reactive species). Our previous studies have proved that CAP iseffective in eliminating bacterial pathogens on different surfaces. This project aims to explore the viability of using CAPto reduce AMR bacterial contamination on surfaces frequently found on farms, and the biological effects of CAP onbacteria. You will investigate: i) the efficacy of CAP against AMR bacteria previously identified on farms; ii) the CAP-mediated mechanism of action against AMR bacteria using functional genomics; iii) The influence of CAP on mutationand horizontal transfer of AMR in bacteria; iv) the efficacy of CAP in controlling AMR bacteria on abiotic surfaces. The successful student will join a consortium of two interdisciplinary research groups with access to world-class researchfacilities at University of Bristol (molecular bacteriology, proteomics/functional genomics) and University of the West ofEngland-Bristol (cold plasma technology, microbiology). The student will receive excellent training and meaningfulsupport from their supervisory team, and develop the technical skills and enterprising mind-set that employers seek.