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Applied Microbiology
Volume 5
Issue 3
10.3390/applmicrobiol5030079
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Review

Mechanistic Role of Heavy Metals in Driving Antimicrobial Resistance: From Rhizosphere to Phyllosphere

by
Rahul Kumar
1,
Tanja P. Vasić
2,
Sanja P. Živković
2,
Periyasamy Panneerselvam
3,
Gustavo Santoyo
4,
Sergio de los Santos Villalobos
5,
Adeyemi Nurudeen Olatunbosun
6,
Aditi Pandit
7,
Leonard Koolman
8,
Debasis Mitra
1,* and
Pankaj Gautam
1,*
1
Department of Microbiology, Graphic Era (Deemed to be University), Dehradun 248002, Uttarakhand, India
2
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Niš, 37000 Niš, Serbia
3
Crop Production Division, ICAR-Central Rice Research Institute, Cuttack 753006, Odisha, India
4
Instituto de Investigaciones Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Morelia 58030, Michoacán, Mexico
5
Instituto Tecnológico de Sonora, 5 de Febrero 818 sur, Ciudad Obregón 85000, Sonora, Mexico
6
Department of Plant Physiology and Crop Production, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Abeokuta P.M.B 2240, Nigeria
7
Genetics Department, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
8
Centre for AMR & One Health Research, School of Biological, Health & Sports Sciences, Technological University Dublin, D07 XN77 Dublin, Ireland
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Appl. Microbiol. 2025, 5(3), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol5030079 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 25 May 2025 / Revised: 17 July 2025 / Accepted: 30 July 2025 / Published: 4 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Topic Microbiota Diversity and Its Broader Biological Implications Across Human and Animal Health)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Heavy metal pollution represents a pervasive environmental challenge that significantly exacerbates the ever-increasing crisis of antimicrobial resistance and the capacity of microorganisms to endure and proliferate despite antibiotic interventions. This review examines the intricate relationship between heavy metals and AMR, with an emphasis on the underlying molecular mechanisms and ecological ramifications. Common environmental metals, including arsenic, mercury, cadmium, and lead, exert substantial selective pressures on microbial communities. These induce oxidative stress and DNA damage, potentially leading to mutations that enhance antibiotic resistance. Key microbial responses include the overexpression of efflux pumps that expel both metals and antibiotics, production of detoxifying enzymes, and formation of protective biofilms, all of which contribute to the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains. In the soil environment, particularly the rhizosphere, heavy metals disrupt plant–microbe interactions by inhibiting beneficial organisms, such as rhizobacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and actinomycetes, thereby impairing nutrient cycling and plant health. Nonetheless, certain microbial consortia can tolerate and detoxify heavy metals through sequestration and biotransformation, rendering them valuable for bioremediation. Advances in biotechnology, including gene editing and the development of engineered metal-resistant microbes, offer promising solutions for mitigating the spread of metal-driven AMR and restoring ecological balance. By understanding the interplay between metal pollution and microbial resistance, we can more effectively devise strategies for environmental protection and public health.
Keywords: antimicrobial resistance; environmental contamination; efflux pumps; horizontal gene resistance; heavy metals; multidrug resistance antimicrobial resistance; environmental contamination; efflux pumps; horizontal gene resistance; heavy metals; multidrug resistance

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MDPI and ACS Style

Kumar, R.; Vasić, T.P.; Živković, S.P.; Panneerselvam, P.; Santoyo, G.; de los Santos Villalobos, S.; Olatunbosun, A.N.; Pandit, A.; Koolman, L.; Mitra, D.; et al. Mechanistic Role of Heavy Metals in Driving Antimicrobial Resistance: From Rhizosphere to Phyllosphere. Appl. Microbiol. 2025, 5, 79. https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol5030079

AMA Style

Kumar R, Vasić TP, Živković SP, Panneerselvam P, Santoyo G, de los Santos Villalobos S, Olatunbosun AN, Pandit A, Koolman L, Mitra D, et al. Mechanistic Role of Heavy Metals in Driving Antimicrobial Resistance: From Rhizosphere to Phyllosphere. Applied Microbiology. 2025; 5(3):79. https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol5030079

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kumar, Rahul, Tanja P. Vasić, Sanja P. Živković, Periyasamy Panneerselvam, Gustavo Santoyo, Sergio de los Santos Villalobos, Adeyemi Nurudeen Olatunbosun, Aditi Pandit, Leonard Koolman, Debasis Mitra, and et al. 2025. "Mechanistic Role of Heavy Metals in Driving Antimicrobial Resistance: From Rhizosphere to Phyllosphere" Applied Microbiology 5, no. 3: 79. https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol5030079

APA Style

Kumar, R., Vasić, T. P., Živković, S. P., Panneerselvam, P., Santoyo, G., de los Santos Villalobos, S., Olatunbosun, A. N., Pandit, A., Koolman, L., Mitra, D., & Gautam, P. (2025). Mechanistic Role of Heavy Metals in Driving Antimicrobial Resistance: From Rhizosphere to Phyllosphere. Applied Microbiology, 5(3), 79. https://doi.org/10.3390/applmicrobiol5030079

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