Persistent Risks in the Effluents of Wastewater Treatment Plants: Mobile Genetic Elements and Viral-Mediated Dissemination of Pathogenic Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. - Related Documents




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680101.0000Persistent Risks in the Effluents of Wastewater Treatment Plants: Mobile Genetic Elements and Viral-Mediated Dissemination of Pathogenic Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are recognized as reservoirs of pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (PARB), yet their genomic risk dynamics remain unclear. This study recovered PARB genomes from 102 influent and effluent metagenomes from six countries; their activity and risk potential were then experimentally validated with metatranscriptomics on samples from a Shanghai WWTP. A total of 44 PARB genomes were reconstructed, which carried both antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs), and they persisted in the effluent. Mobile genetic elements might mediate ARG transfer in 13 PARB genomes. Moreover, bacteriophages infecting PARB harbored and were transcribing ARGs/VFGs, and antiviral defense systems of PARB correlated with horizontal gene transfer (HGT). Evolutionary analyses indicated that influent PARB maintained high microdiversity via homologous recombination, while effluent populations underwent purifying selection, suggesting that wastewater treatment reduced the genetic diversity of PARB through purifying selection. However, the persistent accumulation of PARB as well as HGT might maintain the dissemination of ARGs. This study emphasized the necessity of selecting the PARB genomes for wastewater monitoring, thereby optimizing treatment strategies and mitigating the potential health risks posed by pathogenic bacteria.202541143557
702710.9998Sludge water: a potential pathway for the spread of antibiotic resistance and pathogenic bacteria from hospitals to the environment. Hospitals play an important role in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The ARGs present in hospital wastewater tend to accumulate in activated sludge, with different ARGs exhibiting varying migration rates. As a result, sludge water produced during the activated sludge treatment process may be a significant source of ARGs entering the environment. Despite this, research into the behavior of ARGs during sludge concentration and dewatering remains limited. This study hypothesizes that ARGs might exhibit new behaviors in sludge water during sludge concentration. Using metagenomic analysis, we explored the distribution and migration risks of ARGs and human pathogenic bacteria (HPB) in sludge water, comparing them with those in hospital wastewater. The findings reveal a strong correlation between ARGs in sludge water and hospital wastewater, with subtypes such as arlR, efpA, and tetR showing higher abundance in sludge water. Although the horizontal gene transfer potential of ARGs is greater in hospital wastewater than in sludge water, the resistance mechanisms and migration pathways are similar even when their HPB host associations differ. ARGs in both environments are primarily transmitted through coexisting mobile genetic elements (MGEs). This suggests that sludge water serves as a critical route for the release of hospital-derived ARGs into the environment, posing potential threats to public health and ecological safety.202540012781
701720.9997Metagenome sequencing to unveil the occurrence and distribution of antibiotic resistome and in a wastewater treatment plant. The emergence and persistence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) has aroused growing public concern for its risk to human health and ecological safety. Moreover, heavy metals concentrated in sewage and sludge could potentially favour co-selection of ARGs and heavy metal resistance genes (HMRGs). In this study, the profile and abundance of antibiotic and metal resistance genes in influent, sludge and effluent were characterized based on the Structured ARG Datebase (SARG) and Antibacterial Biocide and Metal Resistance Gene Datebase (BacMet) by metagenomic analysis. Sequences were aligning against the INTEGRALL, ISFinder, ICEberg and NCBI RefSeq databases to obtain the diversity and abundance of mobile genetic elements (MGEs, e.g.plasmid and transposon). Among them, 20 types of ARGs and 16 types of HMRG were detected in all samples, the influent metagenomes contained many more resistance genes (both ARGs and HMRGs) than the sludge and the influent sample, large reductions in the relatively abundance and diversity of ARG were achieved by biological treatment. ARGs and HMRGs cannot be completely eliminated during the oxidation ditch. A total of 32 species of the potential pathogens were detected, relative abundances of pathogens had no obvious changes. It is suggested that more specific treatments are required to limit their proliferation in the environment. This study can be helpful for further understanding the removal of antibiotic resistance genes in the sewage treatment process via metagenomic sequencing.202436812908
734230.9997Metagenomic analysis reveals the prevalence and persistence of antibiotic- and heavy metal-resistance genes in wastewater treatment plant. The increased antibiotic resistance among microorganisms has resulted into growing interest for investigating the wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) as they are reported to be the major source in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and heavy metal resistance genes (HMRGs) in the environment. In this study, we investigated the prevalence and persistence of ARGs and HMRGs as well as bacterial diversity and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in influent and effluent at the WWTP in Gwangju, South Korea, using high-throughput sequencing based metagenomic approach. A good number of broad-spectrum of resistance genes (both ARG and HMRG) were prevalent and likely persistent, although large portion of them were successfully removed at the wastewater treatment process. The relative abundance of ARGs and MGEs was higher in effluent as compared to that of influent. Our results suggest that the resistance genes with high abundance and bacteria harbouring ARGs and MGEs are likely to persist more through the treatment process. On analyzing the microbial community, the phylum Proteobacteria, especially potentially pathogenic species belonging to the genus Acinetobacter, dominated in WWTP. Overall, our study demonstrates that many ARGs and HMRGs may persist the treatment processes in WWTPs and their association to MGEs may contribute to the dissemination of resistance genes among microorganisms in the environment.201829858829
698040.9997Effects of agricultural inputs on soil virome-associated antibiotic resistance and virulence: A focus on manure, microplastic and pesticide. Soil viruses are increasingly recognized as crucial mediators of horizontal gene transfer, yet their role in disseminating antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) under agricultural disturbances remains poorly understood. Here, we characterized the viromes and associated ARGs and VFGs in agricultural soils treated with low- and high-dose manures, microplastics, and pesticides. Using metagenomic sequencing coupled with advanced viral identification tools, we found that manure fertilization markedly altered viral community composition and increased viral diversity. Manure also enhanced the abundance of ARGs and VFGs in viromes by 2.0-9.8-fold and 2.0-8.1-fold, respectively, while microplastics and pesticides had limited impacts. Additionally, gene pathways related to human diseases and environmental adaptation were enriched in soil viromes treated with manures and high-dose pesticides. Virus-host prediction revealed that Actinomycetia dominated bacterial hosts of both ARG- and VFG-carrying viruses, with some VFG-carrying viruses linked to potential human pathogens, e.g., Escherichia albertii and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated that these disturbances strengthened connections between bacteria, viruses, and ARGs (or VFGs). Our study provides a comprehensive profile of viromes and associated risks in agricultural soil under three disturbances, highlighting the role of viruses in spread of antibiotic resistance and pathogenic risks in agricultural soil.202540752173
701650.9997Metagenomic analysis reveals wastewater treatment plants as hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements. The intensive use of antibiotics results in their continuous release into the environment and the subsequent widespread occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). This study used Illumina high-throughput sequencing to investigate the broad-spectrum profiles of both ARGs and MGEs in activated sludge and anaerobically digested sludge from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant. A pipeline for identifying antibiotic resistance determinants was developed that consisted of four categories: gene transfer potential, ARG potential, ARGs pathway and ARGs phylogenetic origin. The metagenomic analysis showed that the activated sludge and the digested sludge exhibited different microbial communities and changes in the types and occurrence of ARGs and MGEs. In total, 42 ARGs subtypes were identified in the activated sludge, while 51 ARG subtypes were detected in the digested sludge. Additionally, MGEs including plasmids, transposons, integrons (intI1) and insertion sequences (e.g. ISSsp4, ISMsa21 and ISMba16) were abundant in the two sludge samples. The co-occurrence pattern between ARGs and microbial taxa revealed by network analysis indicated that some environmental bacteria (e.g. Clostridium and Nitrosomonas) might be potential hosts of multiple ARGs. The findings increase our understanding of WWTPs as hotspots of ARGs and MGEs, and contribute towards preventing their release into the downstream environment.201728689130
688260.9997Deciphering the mobility and bacterial hosts of antibiotic resistance genes under antibiotic selection pressure by metagenomic assembly and binning approaches. The presence of antibiotics can exert significant selection pressure on the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). However, co-selection effects for ARGs, the mobility of ARGs and the identification of ARG hosts under high antibiotic selection pressures are poorly understood. Here, metagenomic assembly and binning approaches were used to comprehensively decipher the prevalence of ARGs and their potential mobility and hosts in activated sludge reactors treating antibiotic production wastewater. We found the abundance of different ARG types in antibiotic treatments varied greatly and certain antibiotic pressure promoted the co-selection for the non-corresponding types of ARGs. Antibiotic selection pressures significantly increased the abundance and proportions of ARGs mediated by plasmids (57.9%), which were more prevalent than those encoded in chromosomes (19.2%). The results indicated that plasmids and chromosomes had a tendency to carry different types of ARGs. Moreover, higher co-occurrence frequency of ARGs and MGEs revealed that antibiotics enhanced the mobility potential of ARGs mediated by both plasmids and integrative and conjugative elements. Among the 689 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) with high estimated quality, 119 MAGs assigning to nine bacterial phyla were identified as the ARG hosts and 33 MAGs exhibited possible multi-resistance to antibiotics. Some ARG types tended to be carried by certain bacteria (e.g. bacitracin resistance genes carried by the family Burkholderiaceae) and thus showed a pronounced host-specific pattern. This study enhances the understanding of the mobility and hosts of ARGs and provides important insights into the risk assessment and management of antibiotic resistance.202032871290
688370.9997Metagenomic insights into the profile of antibiotic resistomes in sediments of aquaculture wastewater treatment system. To meet the rapidly growing global demand for aquaculture products, large amounts of antibiotics were used in aquaculture, which might accelerate the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and the propagation of antibiotic genes (ARGs). In our research, we revealed the ARGs profiles, their co-occurrence with mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and potential hosts in sediments of a crab pond wastewater purification system based on metagenomic analysis. The residual antibiotic seems to increase the propagation of ARGs in the crab pond, but there was no clear relationship between a given antibiotic type and the corresponding resistance genes. The effect of aquaculture on sediment was not as profound as that of other anthropogentic activities, but increased the relative abundance of sulfonamide resistance gene. A higher abundance of MGEs, especially plasmid, increased the potential ARGs dissemination risk in crab and purification ponds. Multidrug and sulfonamide resistance genes had greater potential to transfer because they were more frequently carried by MGEs. The horizontal gene transfer was likely to occur among a variety of microorganisms, and various ARGs hosts including Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Escherichia, and Klebsiella were identified. Bacterial community influenced the composition of ARG hosts, and Proteobacteria was the predominant hosts. Overall, our study provides novel insights into the environmental risk of ARGs in sediments of aquaculture wastewater treatment system.202234963542
702680.9997Organic fertilizer potentiates the transfer of typical antibiotic resistance gene among special bacterial species. The propagation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in environments has evoked many attentions, however, how to identify their host pathogenic bacteria in situ remains a great challenge. Here we explored the bacterial host distribution and dissemination of a typical ARG, sul1 gene, in agricultural soils through the simultaneous detection of sul1 and its host 16S rRNA gene by emulsion paired isolation and concatenation PCR (epicPCR). Compared to chemical fertilizer, organic fertilizer (chicken manure) led to a higher prevalence of sul1 gene in the soil, and dominant bacterial hosts of sul1 gene were classified into Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes phyla. Additionally, significant higher diversity of antibiotic resistance bacteria (ARB), higher rate of horizontal gene transfer (HGT), higher rate of mobile genetic elements (MGE) and higher proportion of pathogens were all observed in the treatment of organic fertilizer. This study alerts potential health risks of manure applications in agricultural soils.202235483268
682990.9997Metagenomic insights into the characteristics and co-migration of antibiotic resistome and metal(loid) resistance genes in urban landfill soil and groundwater. The heavy metals and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in landfills showed a significant correlation; however, the relationship between metal(loid) resistance genes (MRGs) and ARGs in contaminated environments, as well as whether they co-migrate with human pathogenic bacteria (HPB), remains unclear. This study is the first to report the characteristics and co-migration of ARGs and MRGs in the soil and groundwater of aged urban landfill sites. Our findings indicated that quinolone, efflux, and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin represented the most abundant ARGs identified. Notably, ARG abundance was higher in groundwater compared to soil, with subtype diversity reflecting a similar trend; however, microbial diversity in soil was greater. Metagenome-assembled genomes data indicated a higher risk of antibiotic-resistant HPB in groundwater. It is imperative to focus on HPB that co-carry ARGs and MRGs alongside mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as Ralstonia pickettii and Pseudomonas stutzeri. Genes conferring resistance to copper and mercury, as well as MGEs such as qacEdelta and intI1, played a critical role in promoting horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance. MRG may promote ARG migration by affecting the permeability of the cell membrane. Procrustes analysis revealed a strong similarity (87 %) between heavy metals and MRG structures. Variance partitioning analyses demonstrated that both heavy metals and biological factors jointly governed landfill ARGs (96.2 %), exerting a more substantial influence in groundwater than in soil. This study serves as a reference for managing landfill, while emphasizing the importance of addressing the co-migration of MRGs and ARGs in pathogens when controlling the spread of risks.202540614847
7338100.9997Sensitivity and consistency of long- and short-read metagenomics and epicPCR for the detection of antibiotic resistance genes and their bacterial hosts in wastewater. Wastewater surveillance is a powerful tool to assess the risks associated with antibiotic resistance in communities. One challenge is selecting which analytical tool to deploy to measure risk indicators, such as antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their respective bacterial hosts. Although metagenomics is frequently used for analyzing ARGs, few studies have compared the performance of long-read and short-read metagenomics in identifying which bacteria harbor ARGs in wastewater. Furthermore, for ARG host detection, untargeted metagenomics has not been compared to targeted methods such as epicPCR. Here, we 1) evaluated long-read and short-read metagenomics as well as epicPCR for detecting ARG hosts in wastewater, and 2) investigated the host range of ARGs across the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) to evaluate host proliferation. Results highlighted long-read revealed a wider range of ARG hosts compared to short-read metagenomics. Nonetheless, the ARG host range detected by long-read metagenomics only represented a subset of the hosts detected by epicPCR. The ARG-host linkages across the influent and effluent of the WWTP were characterized. Results showed the ARG-host phylum linkages were relatively consistent across the WWTP, whereas new ARG-host species linkages appeared in the WWTP effluent. The ARG-host linkages of several clinically relevant species found in the effluent were identified.202438490149
7028110.9997Metagenomic insights to effective elimination of resistomes in food waste composting by lime addition. Food waste contains abundant resistomes, including antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes (ARGs and MRGs), which pose risks to the environment and human health. Composting can be used for food waste treatment, but it fails to effectively eliminate these resistomes. Thus, this study investigated the performance of lime to regulate the dynamics and mobility of ARGs and MRGs in food waste composting by metagenomics. Genome-resolved analysis was further conducted to identify the ARGs and MRGs hosts and their horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events. Results showed that lime addition at 1 % (wet weight) could significantly promote temperature and pH increase to sterilize hosts, particularly pathogen bacteria (e.g. Acinetobacter johnsonii and Enterobacter cloacae), thus reducing the abundance of resistomes by more than 57.1 %. This sterilization notably reduced the number of mobile ARGs and MRGs driven by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The contribution of MGEs located on chromosomal sequences to horizontally transfer ARGs and MRGs was significantly higher than that on mobilizable plasmids. Further analysis indicated that the reduced resistomes by lime was mainly attributed to effective sterilization of hosts rather than decreased HGT diversity. Thus, this study provides valuable insights into use lime as a low-cost control of resistomes in waste recycling.202541061540
7019120.9997Fate, mobility and pathogenicity of antibiotic resistome in a full-scale drinking water treatment plant: Highlighting the chlorination risks. Drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) serve as the last barrier in preventing the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) into tap water, yet the distribution and dissemination mechanisms of ARGs in DWTPs remain unclear. In this study, the antibiotic resistome of a full-scale DWTP using Nansi Lake (an important node of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project's eastern route, China) as water source was investigated based on metagenomic analysis. The results showed that coagulation and chlorination were the two crucial processes increasing the relative abundance of ARGs in the DWTP, and the former predominantly enhanced that of sulfonamide RGs, while the latter increased that of bacitracin, aminoglycoside and multidrug RGs. ARG hosts and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) both played significant roles in ARG compositions. The persistence of Sphingorhabdus during the conventional treatment stages and the dissemination potential of plasmids accounted for the relative abundance of sulfonamide RGs, while the chlorine and multidrug resistance of Acinetobacter, Acidovorax, and Pseudomonas, along with the coexistence of various MGEs, suggested the persistence and transmission risk of ARGs after chlorination. Ozonation and activated carbon filtration could eliminate some human-pathogenic bacteria (HPB), but the chlorination process significantly increased the relative abundance of HPB. The multidrug-resistant HPB such as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus and Acinetobacter haemolyticus were the key targets for risk control in the DWTP. Our findings provide new insights into the fate, mobility, and pathogenicity of ARGs in a typical DWTP, offering beneficial guidance for decision-making in the risk control of ARGs in DWTPs.202540587929
3177130.9997Metagenomic investigation of antibiotic resistance genes and resistant bacteria contamination in pharmaceutical plant sites in China. Pharmaceutical plant sites play a significant role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment. It is imperative to comprehensively monitor of ARGs across various environmental media at these sites. This study focused on three pharmaceutical plants, two located in North China and one in South China. Through metagenomic approaches, we examined the composition, mobility potential, and bacterial hosts of ARGs in diverse media such as process water, groundwater, topsoil, soil cores, and pharmaceutical fermentation residues across diverse environmental matrices, including topsoil, soil cores, process water, groundwater, and pharmaceutical fermentation residues. We identified a wide array of ARGs, comprising 21 types and 740 subtypes, with process water exhibiting the highest abundance and diversity. Treatment processes varied in their efficacy in eliminating ARGs, and the clinically relevant ARGs should also be considered when evaluating wastewater treatment plant efficiency. Geographical distinctions in groundwater ARG distribution between northern and southern regions were observed. Soil samples from the three sites showed minimal impact from pharmaceutical activity, with vancomycin-resistance genes being the most prevalent. High levels of ARGs in pharmaceutical fermentation residues underscore the necessity for improved waste management practices. Metagenomic assembly revealed that plasmid-mediated ARGs were more abundant than chromosome-mediated ARGs. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) analysis identified 166 MAGs, with 62 harboring multiple ARGs. Certain bacteria tended to carry specific types of ARGs, revealing distinct host-resistance associations. This study enhances our understanding of ARG dissemination across different environmental media within pharmaceutical plants and underscores the importance of implementing strict regulations for effluent and residue discharge to control ARG spread.202438960118
7326140.9997Antibiotic resistance genes associated with size-segregated bioaerosols from wastewater treatment plants: A review. The antibiotic-resistant pollution in size-segregated bioaerosols from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is of increasing concern due to its public health risks, but an elaborate review is still lacking. This work overviewed the profile, mobility, pathogenic hosts, source, and risks of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in size-segregated bioaerosols from WWTPs. The dominant ARG type in size-segregated bioaerosols from WWTPs was multidrug resistance genes. Treatment units that equipped with mechanical facilities and aeration devices, such as grilles, grit chambers, biochemical reaction tanks, and sludge treatment units, were the primary sources of bioaerosol antibiotic resistome in WWTPs. Higher enrichment of antibiotic resistome in particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <2.5 μm, was found along the upwind-downwind-WWTPs gradient. Only a small portion of ARGs in inhalable bioaerosols from WWTPs were flanked by mobile genetic elements. The pathogens with multiple drug resistance had been found in size-segregated bioaerosols from WWTPs. Different ARGs or antibiotic resistant bacteria have different aerosolization potential associated with bioaerosols from various treatment processes. The validation of pathogenic antibiotic resistance bacteria, deeper investigation of ARG mobility, emission mechanism of antibiotic resistome, and development of treatment technologies, should be systematically considered in future.202438128715
6816150.9997The impact of microplastics on antibiotic resistance genes, metal resistance genes, and bacterial community in aquaculture environment. Microplastics are emerging contaminants. However, their effects on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), metal resistance genes (MRGs), and the structure and abundance of bacterial communities, particularly pathogens, in aquaculture environments remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of microplastics of different sizes on the abundance and distribution of ARGs, MRGs, and bacterial communities in aquaculture environments. The results revealed that, compared with pond water, large microplastics harbored significantly higher ARG abundances, particularly for multidrug-resistant genes; notably, level-I- and -II-risk ARGs were more prevalent on microplastics, highlighting the potential for horizontal gene transfer. Microplastics also exhibited a propensity to aggregate pathogenic bacteria such as Brucella and Pseudomonas, which could pose direct risks to aquatic product safety and public health. Network and differential network analyses revealed significant correlations between bacterial genera and ARG/MRG abundance, particularly on microplastics. Therefore, our findings suggest that microplastics act as vectors for the spread of ARGs, MRGs, and pathogens in aquaculture, potentially leading to the formation of complexes of these materials that threaten ecosystem health and human well-being. This study provides critical insights into the need for targeted management strategies to mitigate microplastic pollution in aquaculture settings.202539987738
6809160.9997High-throughput profiling of antibiotic resistance gene dynamic in a drinking water river-reservoir system. The rapid construction of reservoir in river basin generates a river-reservoir system containing an environmental gradient from river system to reservoir system in modern aquatic environment worldwide. Profiles of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in river-reservoir system is essential to better understand their dynamic mechanisms in aquatic eco-environment. In this study, we investigated the diversity, abundance, distribution of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in a representative river-reservoir system using high-throughput quantitative PCR, as well as ranked the factors (e.g. antibiotics, bacterial biomass, bacteria communities, and MGEs) influencing the patterns of ARGs based on structural equation models (SEMs). Seasonal variations in absolute abundance of ARGs and MGEs exhibited similar trends with local rainfall, suggesting that seasonal runoff induced by the rainfall potentially promote the absolute abundance of ARGs and MGEs. In contrast, environmental gradient played more important roles in the detected number, relative abundance, distribution pattern of ARGs and MGEs in the river-reservoir system. Moreover, environmental gradient also made the co-occurrence patterns associated with ARGs subtypes, MGEs and bacteria genera in river system different from those in reservoir system. The SEMs revealed that MGEs contributed the most to shape the ARG profiles. Overall, our findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms of environmental gradient on ARGs dynamics in river-reservoir system, probably via influencing the MGEs, antibiotics, pathogenic bacteria community and nonpathogenic bacteria community.201930447523
3265170.9997Characterization of antimicrobial resistance genes and virulence factor genes in an Arctic permafrost region revealed by metagenomics. Antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) constitute a serious threat to public health, and climate change has been predicted to affect the increase in bacterial pathogens harboring ARGs and VFGs. However, studies on bacterial pathogens and their ARGs and VFGs in permafrost region have received limited attention. In this study, a metagenomic approach was applied to a comprehensive survey to detect potential ARGs, VFGs, and pathogenic antibiotic resistant bacteria (PARB) carrying both ARGs and VFGs in the active layer and permafrost. Overall, 70 unique ARGs against 18 antimicrobial drug classes and 599 VFGs classified as 38 virulence factors were detected in the Arctic permafrost region. Eight genes with mobile genetic elements (MGEs) carrying ARGs were identified; most MGEs were classified as phages. In the metagenome-assembled genomes, the presence of 15 PARB was confirmed. The soil profile showed that the transcripts per million (TPM) values of ARGs and VFGs in the sub-soil horizon were significantly lower than those in the top soil horizon. Based on the TPM value of each gene, major ARGs, VFGs, and these genes in PARB from the Arctic permafrost region were identified and their distribution was confirmed. The major host bacteria for ARGs and VFGs and PARB were identified. A comparison of the percentage identity distribution of ARGs and VFGs to reference databases indicated that ARGs and VFGs in the Arctic soils differ from previously identified genes. Our results may help understand the characteristics and distribution of ARGs, VFGs, and these genes in PARB in the Arctic permafrost region. This findings suggest that the Arctic permafrost region may serve as potential reservoirs for ARGs, VFGs, and PARB. These genes could pose a new threat to human health if they are released by permafrost thawing owing to global warming and propagate to other regions.202234875269
6877180.9997Exploring urban coastal areas: Investigating the urban coastal areas as a reservoirs of antibiotic resistance Genes★. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have long served as adaptive defensive mechanisms among bacteria, enabling their survival and propagation in challenging environments. The consequences of inefficient wastewater treatment have culminated the emergence of untreatable and lethal extensively drug-resistant. To understand the relationship between wastewater effluent and marine ecosystems, we conducted a study to monitor the diversity and prevalence of common ARGs in Hong Kong's urban coastal areas at different seasons. Our findings revealed that sul 1 was the most abundant resistance gene, with an average relative abundance of 4.45 × 10(-2) per 16s rRNA gene copy. Moreover, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and salinity were key factors influencing seasonal variations in total ARGs abundance. The influence of environmental factors varied based on ARGs' association with Intl1, with Intl1-associated ARGs strongly correlating with temperature and dissolved oxygen. Notably, despite their abundance, sul1 and mphA exhibited similar correlations with both Intl1 and key environmental factors, suggesting these ARGs share a common dissemination mechanism. Moreover, the robust association between resistance genes and mobile genetic elements (MGE) could potentially act as a valuable indicator for assessing the efficacy of removing ARGs in wastewater treatment methods when operating under carefully optimized environmental parameters.202539642594
6804190.9997Seasonal variations of profiles of antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factor genes in household dust from Beijing, China revealed by the metagenomics. Household-related microbiome is closely related with human health. However, the knowledge about profiles of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence factor genes (VFGs) which are carried by microbes inside homes and their temporal dynamics are rather limited. Here we monitored the seasonal changes of bacterial community (especially pathogenic bacteria), ARGs, and VFGs in household dust samples during two years. Based on metagenomic sequencing, the dust-related bacterial pathogenic community, ARGs, and VFGs all harbored the lowest richness in spring among four seasons. Their structure (except that of VFGs) also exhibited remarkable differences among the seasons. The structural variations of ARGs and VFGs were almost explained by mobile genetic elements (MGEs), bacterial pathogens, and particulate matter-related factors, with MGEs explaining the most. Moreover, the total normalized abundance of ARGs or VFGs showed no significant change across the seasons. Results of metagenomic binning and microbial network both showed that several pathogenic taxa (e.g., Ralstonia pickettii) were strongly linked with numerous ARGs (mainly resistant to multidrug) and VFGs (mainly encoding motility) simultaneously. Overall, these findings underline the significance of MGEs in structuring ARGs and VFGs inside homes along with seasonal variations, suggesting that household dust is a neglected reservoir for ARGs and VFGs.202438636860