Modares Journal of Biotechnology

Abstract Klebsiella pneumoniae is a gram-negative bacillus of the Enterobacteriaceae family. Despite being part of the natural human microflora, this is an opportunistic pathogen and a major cause of nosocomial infections. The increased emergence of multidrug resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae has limited the treatment options for this bacterium. Carbon nanotubes (CNT), by improving the stability and solubulity of drugs, could increase the effectiveness of drugs for treatment. The aim of this study is to investigate the antibacterial effect of nanofluid containing functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-CNT-NF) on Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated from clinical specimens. For the strain confirmation, biochemical ,API20E kit, and additional differential tests were performed, and antibiotic susceptibility test was performed by the disk diffusion method. The studied strain showed a resistance to all antibiotics such as cefepime.The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the antibiotic micro dilution method. The MIC was determined in five effect modes including antibiotic (Ab), nanofluid containing functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-CNT-NF) , nanofluid containing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT-NF) ,Ab in combination with f-CNT-NF and Ab with CNT-NF. Nevertheless the individual effects of 10 µg mL^-1 cefepime or 80 µg of nanofluid with f-CNT-NF did not inhibit the growth of the bacteria, but the co-administration of 10 µg mL^-1 cefepime with 80 µg of the f-CNT-NF could inhibit the bacteria`s growth. It was concluded that f-CNT-NF could be more effective in drug delivery at lower concentrations than the free state, which could be used as a tool for optimal drug delivery.

Abstract Escherichia coli is a Gram-negative bacterium, the second most common bacteria in the intestine and the main indicator of urban water pollution, is the most common cause of urinary tract infection and also is one of the main factors in food poisoning and diarrhea. Drug resistance of this bacterium to antibiotics is a global challenge. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the movement of genetic material between unicellular and other gene transfer pathways which is an important factor in the evolution of many organisms, antibiotic resistance in bacteria, gene function. Antibiotic resistance in E. coli can be transferred to another species of bacteria through HGT mechanisms. Today, Bioinformatics methods have been used to understand of gene transfer from HGT mechanism. In this study, we used bioinformatics tools such as PredictBias, ACLAME, Mobil Genetic Elements (MGEs) PAI-ID, and Alien_Hunter in order to genes analysis that related from antibiotic resistance in E. coli. Bioinformatics and MIC assays result show that from 26 to 30 genes have been identified in all safthwers. Most of genes that identified show over 50 percent of GC content. put P gene with 178, blaCMY with 62, BlaTEM with 43, and aac-6 with 66 homology in the PredictBias website identified. Also in the ACLAME website, mob (A-C) and rep (A-C) gene family are highest number of horizontal gene transfer from infection bacteria strain. Those cluster genes are the highest resistant of laboratory tests which carries resistant genes such as blaSHV and blaCHV on the blaCMY plasmid.