Impact of the surrounding environment on antibiotic resistance genes carried by microplastics in mangroves. - Related Documents




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690801.0000Impact of the surrounding environment on antibiotic resistance genes carried by microplastics in mangroves. The pollution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) carried by microplastics (MPs) is a growing concern. Mangroves are located at the intersection of land and sea and are seriously affected by MP pollution. However, few studies have systematic research evaluating the transmission risk of ARGs carried by MPs in mangroves. We conducted in situ experiments by burying five different MPs (polypropylene, high-density polyethylene, polystyrene, polyethylene glycol terephthalate, and polycaprolactone particles) in mangroves with different surrounding environments. A total of 10 genes in the MPs of mangroves were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions, including eight ARGs and two mobile genetic elements (MGEs). The abundance of ARGs in Guanhai park mangroves in living areas (GH) was higher than that of Gaoqiao mangroves in protected areas (GQ) and Beiyue dike mangroves in aquaculture pond areas (BY). Pathogenic bacteria, such as Acinetobacter, Bacillus, and Vibrio were found on the MP surfaces of the mangroves. The number of ARGs carried by multiple drug-resistant bacteria in the GH mangroves was greater than that in the GQ and BY mangroves. Moreover, the ARGs carried by MPs in GH mangroves had the highest potential transmission risk by horizontal gene transfer. Sociometric and environmental factors were the main drivers shaping the distribution characteristics of ARGs and MGEs. Polypropylene and high-density polyethylene particles are preferred substrates for obtaining diffuse ARGs. This study investigated the drivers of ARGs in the MPs of mangroves and provided essential guidance on the use and handling of plastics.202235537514
687310.9997Plastic wastes and surface antibiotic resistance genes pollution in mangrove environments. Mangroves are located at the intersection of land and sea and are also heavily affected by plastic wastes. Biofilms of plastic wastes in mangroves are reservoirs for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). In this study, plastic wastes and ARG pollution were investigated from three typical mangrove areas in Zhanjiang, South China. Transparent was the dominant colors of plastic wastes in three mangroves. Fragment and film shape accounted for 57.73-88.23% of plastic waste samples in mangroves. In addition, 39.50% of plastic wastes in protected area mangroves are PS. The metagenomic results shows that the 175 ARGs were found on plastic wastes of the three mangroves, the abundance accounting for 91.11% of the total ARGs. The abundance of Vibrio accounted for 2.31% of the total bacteria genera in aquaculture pond area mangrove. Correlation analysis shows that a microbe can carry multiple ARGs that may improve resistance to antibiotics. Microbes are the potential hosts of most ARGs, suggesting that ARGs can be transmitted by microbes. Because the mangroves are closely related to human activities and the high abundance of ARGs on plastic increases the ecological risks, people should improve plastic waste management and prevent the spread of ARGs by reducing plastic pollution.202337133617
681420.9996Watershed urbanization enhances the enrichment of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics in the water environment. Microplastics (MPs) serve as vectors for microorganisms and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and contribute to the spread of pathogenic bacteria and ARGs across various environments. Patterns of microbial communities and ARGs in the biofilm on the surface of MPs, also termed as plastisphere, have become an issue of global concern. Although antibiotic resistome in the plastisphere has been detected, how watershed urbanization affects patterns of potential pathogens and ARGs in the microplastic biofilms is still unclear. Here, we compared the bacterial communities, the interaction between bacterial taxa, pathogenic bacteria, and ARGs between the plastisphere and their surrounding water, and revealed the extensive influence of urbanization on them. Our results showed that bacterial communities and interactions in the plastisphere differed from those in their surrounding water. Microplastics selectively enriched Bacteroidetes from water. In non-urbanized area, the abundance of Oxyphotobacteria was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in plastisphere than that in water, while α-Proteobacteria was significantly (p < 0.05) higher in plastisphere than those in water of urbanized area. Pathogenic bacteria, ARGs, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the urbanized area than those in non-urbanized area. MPs selectively enriched ARG-carrying potential pathogens, i.e., Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae, and exhibited a distinct effect on the relative abundance of ARG and pathogens in water with different urbanization levels. We further found ARGs were significantly correlated to MGEs and pathogenic bacteria. These results suggested that MPs would promote the dissemination of ARGs among microbes including pathogenic bacteria, and urbanization would affect the impact of MPs on microbes, pathogens, and ARGs in water. A high level of urbanization could enhance the enrichment of pathogens and ARGs by MPs in aquatic systems and increase microbial risk in aquatic environments. Our findings highlighted the necessity of controlling the spread of ARGs among pathogens and the usage of plastic products in ecosystems of urban areas.202236108884
681330.9996Spread performance and underlying mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes adhered on microplastics in the sediments of different urban water bodies. Urban water bodies often pose frequent human activities, the pollution of microplastics (MPs) in these sediments, and pathogenic bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) enriched on the MPs may have risk to human health. However, there is little known about these issues. In this paper, three typical urban water bodies (the urban park lake, the urban inland river, and the urban-rural lake) were selected to identify the characteristics of MPs. Furthermore, the enrichment and driving mechanisms of pathogenic bacteria and ARGs on MPs in sediments were studied. These three water bodies were polluted with MPs, dominated by polyethylene (PE)-MPs and polystyrene (PS)-MPs. Gammaproteobacteria, Pseudomonadota, etc. as the main types of pathogenic bacteria, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii as significantly enriched in the urban inland rivers. The predominant ARGs were bacitracin- (bacA) and sulfonamide- (sul1) resistant ARGs. Transposase was the main genetic elements that drove the transfer of ARGs and the main resistance mechanism of ARGs was antibiotic efflux. The enrichment behavior of pathogenic bacteria and ARGs on MPs was also driven by the types of MPs, especially PS-MPs. The pathogenic bacteria at urban inland rivers had more types of ARGs, transfer elements and resistance mechanisms, thus the risk of pathogenic bacteria resistance needed specific concern. The results of our study were of great significance to gain insights into the pathogenic resistance risks and ecological risks of pathogenic bacteria and ARGs in sediments of urban water bodies.202540609890
681640.9996The 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
682150.9996Mangrove plastisphere as a hotspot for high-risk antibiotic resistance genes and pathogens. Microplastics (MPs) are critical vectors for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs); however, the prevalence and ecological risks of high-risk ARGs in mangrove ecosystems-globally vital yet understudied coastal habitats-remain poorly understood. To address this gap, this study investigated polyethylene, polystyrene, and polyvinyl chloride incubated in mangrove sediments for one month, focusing on high-risk ARGs, virulence gene (VGs), and pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria within the mangrove plastisphere. High-throughput PCR and metagenomic analyses revealed that high-risk ARGs, VGs, and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were significantly enriched on MPs compared to surrounding sediments. Pathogenic bacteria and MGEs were also more abundant in the plastisphere, highlighting its role as a hotspot for ARG dispersal. Metagenome-assembled genome analysis identified Pseudomonas and Bacillus as key hosts for ARGs, MGEs, and VGs, particularly multidrug resistance genes, integrase genes, and adherence factors. Notably, polystyrene harbored the highest abundance of pathogenic bacteria carrying ARGs, MGEs, and VGs, and mangrove root exudates were found to amplify horizontal gene transfer on MPs, uncovering a previously overlooked mechanism driving antibiotic resistance in coastal ecosystems. These findings not only elucidate how MPs accelerate the spread of ARGs, but also underscore the urgent need for targeted mitigation strategies to address the adverse impacts microplastic pollution on human, animal, and environmental health.202540043931
680960.9996High-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
682370.9996Metagenomic assembly and binning analyses the prevalence and spread of antibiotic resistome in water and fish gut microbiomes along an environmental gradient. The pristine river and urban river show an environmental gradient caused by anthropogenic impacts such as wastewater treatment plants and domestic wastewater discharges. Here, metagenomic and binning analyses unveiled antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) profiles, their co-occurrence with metal resistance genes (MRGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and their host bacteria in water and Hemiculter leucisculus samples of the river. Results showed that the decrease of ARG abundances from pristine to anthropogenic regions was attributed to the reduction of the relative abundance of multidrug resistance genes in water microbiomes along the environmental gradient. Whereas anthropogenic impact contributed to the enrichment of ARGs in fish gut microbiomes. From pristine to anthropogenic water samples, the dominant host bacteria shifted from Pseudomonas to Actinobacteria. Potential pathogens Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Enterobacter kobei, Aeromonas veronii and Microcystis aeruginosa_C with multiple ARGs were retrieved from fish gut microbes in lower reach of Ba River. The increasing trends in the proportion of the contigs carrying ARGs (ARCs) concomitant with plasmids along environmental gradient indicated that plasmids act as efficient mobility vehicles to enhance the spread of ARGs under anthropogenic pressures. Moreover, the higher co-occurrence of ARGs and MRGs on plasmids revealed that anthropogenic impacts accelerated the co-transfer potential of ARGs and MRGs and the enrichment of ARGs. Partial least squares path modeling revealed anthropogenic contamination could shape fish gut antibiotic resistome mainly via affecting ARG host bacteria in water microbiomes, following by ARGs co-occurrence with MGEs and MRGs in gut microbiomes. This study enhanced our understanding of the mechanism of the anthropogenic activities on the transmission of antibiotic resistome in river ecosystem and emphasized the risk of ARGs and pathogens transferring from an aquatic environment to fish guts.202235716556
681580.9996Bacterial community succession and the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics in an oyster farm. Microplastics can be colonized by microorganisms and form plastisphere. However, knowledge of bacterial community succession and the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and pathogens on microplastics in aquaculture environments is limited. Here, we conducted a 30-day continuous exposure experiment at an oyster farm. Results showed that the alpha-diversity of communities on most microplastics continuously increased and was higher than in planktonic communities after 14 days. Microplastics could selectively enrich certain bacteria from water which can live a sessile lifestyle and promote colonization by other bacteria. The composition and function of plastisphere communities were distinct from those in the surrounding water and influenced by polymer type and exposure time. Microplastics can enrich ARGs (sul1, qnrS and bla(TEM)) and harbor potential pathogens (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Therefore, microplastic pollution may pose a critical threat to aquaculture ecosystems and human health. Our study provides further insight into the ecological risks of microplastics.202337611336
680890.9996Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance change bacterial community compositions in marine sediments. Emerging contaminants, including antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes (eARGs), have been detected in large numbers in the aquatic environment. The effects of emerging contaminants on bacterial communities in marine sediments are not well studied. In this study, the effects of emerging contaminants (antibiotics, ARB, and eARGs) on the variations of bacterial populations in marine sediments of the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, and South China Sea were investigated. The results showed that the abundance of the host bacterial phylum Probacteria in the marine sediments of the Bohai Sea was the lowest among the four seas after exposure to different antibiotics, ARB, and eARGs. The inputs of exogenous antibiotics and resistance genes significantly affected the community function, resulting in significant differences in community abundance at the genus level. The abundance of Halomonas, Sulfitobacter, and Alcanivorax in the four sea areas displayed noteworthy differences in response to the addition of exogenous antibiotics and eARGs. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between emerging contaminants and the dynamics of bacterial communities in natural ecosystems.202438135101
6875100.9996Metagenomic analysis of antibiotic resistance genes in coastal industrial mariculture systems. The overuse of antibiotics has posed a propagation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquaculture systems. This study firstly explored the ARGs profiles of the typical mariculture farms including conventional and recirculating systems using metagenomics approach. Fifty ARGs subtypes belonging to 21 ARGs types were identified, showing the wide-spectrum profiles of ARGs in the coastal industrial mariculture systems. ARGs with multiple antibiotics resistance have emerged in the mariculure systems. The co-occurrence pattern between ARGs and microbial taxa showed that Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were potential dominant hosts of ARGs in the industrial mariculture systems. Typical nitrifying bacteria such as Nitrospinae in mariculture systems also carried with some resistance genes. Relative abundance of ARGs in fish ponds and wastewater treatment units was relatively high. The investigation showed that industrial mariculture systems were important ARGs reservoirs in coastal area, indicating the critical role of recirculating systems in the terms of ARGs pollution control.201829353751
6994110.9996Seasonal variations in antibiotic resistance genes in estuarine sediments and the driving mechanisms. Estuary sediments are chemically contaminated by adjacent coastal industrial cities, but the impact of organic pollutants on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in estuarine sediments is unknown. We comprehensively analyzed the complex interactions between chemical pollutants (heavy metals and organic pollutants), mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and ARGs in estuarine sediments during various seasons. The results indicate that under the effects of the chemically polluted river water, the number of different estuarine sediment ARGs increased by 76.9%-92.3% in summer and 5.9%-35.3% in winter, and the abundance of these ARGs increased by 29-5195 times in summer and 48-239 times in winter. The abundance of sediment ARGs in distinct estuaries showed different seasonal trends. Seasonal changes had a greater impact on the abundance of estuarine sediment ARGs than on their diversity. The diversity of estuarine sediment ARGs was positively correlated with the chemical pollution levels. Furthermore, chemical pollution was positively correlated with MGEs, and MGEs were correlated with ARG abundance. These results indicate that ARGs are enriched in bacteria via horizontal gene transfer triggered by chemical pollution, promoting multi-antibiotic resistance in estuarine sediment bacteria. These findings have implications for our understanding of the distribution and propagation of ARGs in chemically polluted estuarine sediments.202031520936
6811120.9996The formation of specific bacterial communities contributes to the enrichment of antibiotic resistance genes in the soil plastisphere. Soil serves as a major reservoir of both antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microplastics. However, the characteristics of the antibiotic resistome in the soil plastisphere remain largely unknown. In this study, we used metagenomic approaches to reveal the changing patterns of ARGs and the bacterial community and their associations in response to three types of microplastics (light density polyethylene, LDPE; polypropylene, PP; polystyrene, PS) using particles 550 µm or 75 µm in diameter. The total ARG abundances significantly increased in the plastisphere and varied across plastic types. The LDPE plastisphere had the highest ARG total abundance and lowest Shannon diversity index, indicating that this plastic had the most severe negative impact on soil bacterial diversity. The PP plastisphere contained higher relative abundances of the pathogenic bacteria Acinetobacter johnsonii and Escherichia coli, demonstrating the higher pathogenic risk of the microbial communities enriched in the plastisphere. Specifically, multidrug resistance genes (ceoB and MuxB) co-existed with more than four microbial taxa, increasing the potential risk of ARG spread in pathogenic bacteria. These findings implied that the plastisphere acts as a hotspot for acquiring and spreading antibiotic resistance and may have long-term negative effects on the soil ecosystem and human health.202235739766
6871130.9995Distinct profile of bacterial community and antibiotic resistance genes on microplastics in Ganjiang River at the watershed level. Microplastics are of great public concern due to their wide distribution and the potential risk to humans and animals. In this study, the microplastic pollution associated with bacterial communities, human pathogenic bacteria, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) were investigated compared to water, sediment, and natural wood particles. Microplastics were widely distributed in surface water of the Ganjiang River at a watershed level with an average value of 407 particles m(-3). The fragment was the main microplastic shape found in the basin. Microplastics had significantly higher observed species and Chao1 index of bacterial communities than those in water, but comparable to wood particles. However, there was no difference in the microplastics pollution and alpha diversity indices of bacterial between different reaches along the Ganjiang River. Flavobacterium, Rhodoferax, Pseudomonas, and Janthinobacterium on the microplastics were all found to be enriched compared with water and sediment. Principal component analysis of the composition and function profile of bacterial communities showed that microplastics provide a new microbial niche in the Ganjiang River, which was distinct from water, sediment, and natural wood. Pseudomonas genus dominated the composition of human pathogenic bacteria on the microplastics, which was significantly different from water and sediment. No difference was observed in the relative abundance of total ARGs among the four media. However, microplastic and wood particles showed similar composition patterns of ARGs compared with water and sediment.202134048747
6822140.9995River contamination shapes the microbiome and antibiotic resistance in sharpbelly (Hemiculter leucisculus). Animals living in urban river systems play critical roles in the dissemination of microbiome and antibiotic resistance that poses a strong threat to public health. This study provides a comprehensive profile of microbiota and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) of sharpbelly (Hemiculter leucisculus) and the surrounding water from five sites along the Ba River. Results showed Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Fusobacteria were the dominant bacteria in gut of H. leucisculus. With the aggravation of water pollution, bacterial biomass of fish gut significantly decreased and the proportion of Proteobacteria increased to become the most dominant phylum eventually. To quantify the contributions of influential factors on patterns of gut microbiome with structural equation model (SEM), water bacteria were confirmed to be the most stressors to perturb fish gut microbiome. SourceTracker model indicated that deteriorating living surroundings facilitated the invasion of water pathogens to fish gut eco-environments. Additionally, H. leucisculus gut is an important reservoir of ARGs in Ba River with relative abundance up to 9.86 × 10(-1)/copies. Among the ARGs, tetracycline and quinolone resistance genes were detected in dominant abundance. Deterioration of external environments elicited the accumulation of ARGs in fish gut. Intestinal class I integron, environmental heavy metal residues and gut bacteria were identified as key drivers of intestinal ARGs profiles in H. leucisculus. Analysis of SEM and co-occurrence patterns between ARGs and bacterial hosts indicated that class I integron and bacterial community played vital roles in ARGs transmission through water-fish pathway. In general, this study highlighted hazards of water contamination to microbiome and ARGs in aquatic animals and provided a new perspective to better understand the bacteria and ARGs dissemination in urban river ecosystems.202133120330
6830150.9995Heavy metal could drive co-selection of antibiotic resistance in terrestrial subsurface soils. Terrestrial surface ecosystems are important sinks for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) due to the continuous discharge of contaminants from human-impacted ecosystems. However, the abundance and resistance types of ARGs and their influencing factors in terrestrial subsurface soils are not well known. In this study, we investigated the abundance and diversity of ARGs, and their correlations with metal resistance genes (MRGs), mobile genetic elements (MGEs), bacteria, and heavy metals in subsurface soils using high throughput quantitative PCR and metagenomic sequencing approaches. Abundant and diverse ARGs were detected with high spatial heterogeneity among sampling sites. Vertically, there was no significant difference in ARG profiles between the aquifer and non-aquifer soils. Heavy metals were key factors shaping ARG profiles in soils with high heavy metal contents, while they showed no significant effect in low contents. Moreover, heavy metals could trigger the proliferation of antibiotic resistance by increasing MGE abundance or influencing bacterial communities. Metagenomic analysis also revealed the widespread co-occurrence of ARGs and MRGs, with heavy metals possibly enhancing the co-selection of ARGs and MRGs in soils with high heavy metal contents. This study highlighted the heavy metal-driven co-selection of ARGs and revealed the occurrence of ARG pollution in terrestrial subsurface soils.202133858075
6817160.9995Distribution of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Karst River and Its Ecological Risk. In recent years, karst water has been polluted by emerging pollutants such as antibiotics. In this study, the bacterial communities and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in antibiotics contaminated karst river was studied in summer and winter. The concentration of antibiotics in winter karst river is higher than that in summer, and there are significant differences in structure of bacterial community and ARGs between karst river water samples. Aminoglycoside, beta-lactamase and multidrug are the main types of ARGs, and transposons play an important role in the spread of ARGs. The horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs between bacteria mediated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs) would cause the spread of ARGs and bring potential ecological risks. In addition, we found that the risk of antibiotic resistant pathogenic bacteria (ARPB) in winter was possibly higher than that in summer. It was suggested that the discharge of antibiotics, water amount and seasonal occurrence time of human intestinal diseases affect the risks caused by antibiotics contaminants. This study helps us to understand the transmission mechanism of ARGs and their potential seasonal ecological risks in complex karst water systems.202134392041
6810170.9995Heavy metals and microbiome are negligible drivers than mobile genetic elements in determining particle-attached and free-living resistomes in the Yellow River. Suspended particles in water can shelter both microorganisms and contaminants. However, the emerging pollutants antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in free-living (FL) or particle-attached (PA) bacteria in aquatic environments are less explored. In this study, we compared the free-living and particle-attached ARGs during four seasons in the Yellow River using high-throughput quantitative PCR techniques and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Our results demonstrated that both the free-living water and particles were dominated by tetracycline and beta-lactamase resistance genes. The PA-ARGs had a higher absolute abundance than FL-ARGs in the Yellow River, regardless of the season. Both PA-ARGs and FL-ARGs had the highest absolute abundance and diversity during winter. Mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were the dominant driver for both size-fractionated ARGs. However, the microbiome had less influence on PA-ARG profiles than the FL-ARG profiles, while the effects of the heavy metals on ARGs were negligible. The community assembly of both FL-ARG and PA-ARG can be explained by neutral processes. Several opportunistic pathogens (e.g., Escherichia coli) associated with human health exhibited a higher relative abundance in the particles than during a free-living lifestyle. Parts of these pathogens were potential ARG hosts. As such, it is important to monitor the ARGs and opportunistic pathogens from size-fractionated bacteria and develop targeted strategies to manage ARG dissemination and opportunistic pathogens to ensure public health.202234736202
6820180.9995Microcosm experiments deciphered resistome coalescence, risks and source-sink relationship of antibiotic resistance in the soil irrigated with reclaimed water. Reclaimed water is widely used in agriculture irrigation to alleviate water scarcity, whereas the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the soil it introduces has attracted widespread attention. Currently, few studies have systematically elucidated the coalescence of the resistome originating from reclaimed water with the soil's native community. Also, the effects and mechanisms of irrigation on the dissemination of ARGs in soils have yet to be demonstrated. To address this gap, microcosm experiments have been conducted in this study to decipher the resistome coalescence, risks and source-sink relationship of ARGs in soils irrigated with reclaimed water. The results show 237 ARGs, 55 mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and 28 virulence factors were identified in the irrigated soils. Irrigation increased the abundance and diversity of ARGs in the soil by introducing antibiotic-resistant bacteria, altering the microbial community and facilitating horizontal transfer of ARGs via MGEs, and ultimately exacerbated resistome risks in the environment. Relatively, a larger volume of irrigation water led to a more complex propagation network of the resistome. Source apportionment analysis suggested reclaimed water contributed less than 15 % of ARGs in the irrigated soils, whereas its contribution proportion increased with a larger volume of irrigation water.202539874760
7053190.9995Plastisphere showing unique microbiome and resistome different from activated sludge. Plastisphere (the biofilm on microplastics) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) may enrich pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) which can cause risks to the ecological environment by discharging into receiving waters. However, the microbiome and resistome of plastisphere in activated sludge (AS) systems remain inconclusive. Here, metagenome was applied to investigate the microbial composition, functions and ARGs of the Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastisphere in lab-scale reactors, and revealed the effects of tetracycline (TC) and/or Cu(II) pressures on them. The results indicated that the plastisphere provided a new niche for microbiota showing unique functions distinct from the AS. Particularly, various potentially pathogenic bacteria tended to enrich in PVC plastisphere. Moreover, various ARGs were detected in plastisphere and AS, but the plastisphere had more potential ARGs hosts and a stronger correlation with ARGs. The ARGs abundances increased after exposure to TC and/or Cu(II) pressures, especially tetracycline resistance genes (TRGs), and the results further showed that TRGs with different resistance mechanisms were separately enriched in plastisphere and AS. Furthermore, the exogenous pressures from Cu(II) or/and TC also enhanced the association of potential pathogens with TRGs in PVC plastisphere. The findings contribute to assessing the potential risks of spreading pathogens and ARGs through microplastics in WWTPs.202236041613