Impact of earthworms on suppressing dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes during vermicomposting treatment of excess sludge. - Related Documents




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857801.0000Impact of earthworms on suppressing dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes during vermicomposting treatment of excess sludge. Earthworms play a crucial role in suppressing the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during vermicomposting. However, there is still a lack of how earthworms influence the spread of ARGs. To address this gap, a microcosm experiment was conducted, incorporating earthworms and utilizing metagenomics and quantitative PCR to assess the impact of earthworms on microbial interactions and the removal of plasmid-induced ARGs. The findings revealed that vermicomposting led to a reduction in the relative abundance of ARGs by altering microbial communities and interactions. Significantly, vermicomposting demonstrated an impressive capability, reducing 92% of ARGs donor bacteria and impeding the transmission of 94% of the RP4 plasmid. Furthermore, through structural equation model analysis, it was determined that mobile genetic elements and environmental variables were the primary influencers of ARG reduction. Overall, this study offers a fresh perspective on the effects of vermicomposting and its potential to mitigate the spread of ARGs.202438885722
754810.9999Maturity phase is crucial for removing antibiotic resistance genes during composting: novel insights into dissolved organic matter-microbial symbiosis system. Composting is widely regarded as an effective method for reducing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in livestock and poultry manure. However, the critical mechanisms of ARGs in different composting phase are still unclear. In this study, normal composting and two types of rapid composting (without mature phase) were used to analyze the removal of ARGs and the succession of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Compared to normal composting, rapid composting reactivated tetracyclines, sulfonamide, and quinolones resistance genes during the maturation phase and reduced the total ARGs removal rates by 45.58 %-57.87 %. Humus-like components could inhibit the proliferation of ARGs, and the enrichment of protein-like components increased abundances of Pusillimonas, Persicitalea, and Pseudomonas, indirectly reducing the removal. This study is the first to demonstrate the contribution of DOM and microbial community to ARGs removal, emphasizing the importance of the maturation phase for ARGs elimination. This research provides guidance for producing safe compost products.202540311709
857720.9999Viral and thermal lysis facilitates transmission of antibiotic resistance genes during composting. While the distribution of extracellular ARGs (eARGs) in the environment has been widely reported, the factors governing their release remain poorly understood. Here, we combined multi-omics and direct experimentation to test whether the release and transmission of eARGs are associated with viral lysis and heat during cow manure composting. Our results reveal that the proportion of eARGs increased 2.7-fold during composting, despite a significant and concomitant reduction in intracellular ARG abundances. This relative increase of eARGs was driven by composting temperature and viral lysis of ARG-carrying bacteria based on metagenome-assembled genome (MAG) analysis. Notably, thermal lysis of mesophilic bacteria carrying ARGs was a key factor in releasing eARGs at the thermophilic phase, while viral lysis played a relatively stronger role during the non-thermal phase of composting. Furthermore, MAG-based tracking of ARGs in combination with direct transformation experiments demonstrated that eARGs released during composting pose a potential transmission risk. Our study provides bioinformatic and experimental evidence of the undiscovered role of temperature and viral lysis in co-driving the spread of ARGs in compost microbiomes via the horizontal transfer of environmentally released DNA. IMPORTANCE: The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is a critical global health concern. Understanding the factors influencing the release of extracellular ARGs (eARGs) is essential for developing effective strategies. In this study, we investigated the association between viral lysis, heat, and eARG release during composting. Our findings revealed a substantial increase in eARGs despite reduced intracellular ARG abundance. Composting temperature and viral lysis were identified as key drivers, with thermal lysis predominant during the thermophilic phase and viral lysis during non-thermal phases. Moreover, eARGs released during composting posed a transmission risk through horizontal gene transfer. This study highlights the significance of temperature and phage lysis in ARG spread, providing valuable insights for mitigating antibiotic resistance threats.202439078126
703430.9998Meta-analysis reveals the processes and conditions of using biochar to control antibiotic resistance genes in soil. Soil is a significant reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and an important habitat for pathogens associated with many clinical infections and plant disease outbreaks. Although scientists have found that biochar can reduce ARGs in soil, the understanding of how biochar removes soil ARGs and the influencing factors remains limited. Here, a meta-analysis of 65 published studies was conducted to illuminate the mechanisms through which biochar remediates ARG-contaminated soils. In biochar-amended soil, the antibiotic content significantly decreased by 24.1 %, while the abundances of mobile genetic elements and ARG host bacteria declined by 23.5 % and 12.1 %, respectively. The reduced antibiotic content, suppressed mobile genetic elements, and altered bacterial community structure collectively led to a 41.8 % reduction in soil ARG abundance. In addition, wood-derived biochar pyrolyzed at 300-500 °C exhibited a substantial advantage in the remediation of ARGs. Furthermore, biochar application decreased the abundance of ARGs in alkaline and neutral soil more markedly than that in acidic soil. The results of this research confirmed the positive mitigating effect of biochar on ARGs in soil, providing valuable insights for the prevention and control of ARG pollution.202540359860
755940.9998Fate of antibiotic resistance genes and resistant bacteria under various operating temperatures of sludge anaerobic digestion. This study investigates the impact of varying temperatures on reducing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during anaerobic digestion (AD) of mixed raw sludge in wastewater treatment plants. Employing three different operating temperatures, i.e., 37, 55, and 65 °C, the research aims to identify how these conditions affect the diminution of resistant genes. The results, based on quantitative PCR analysis and metagenomic sequencing, show that higher temperatures significantly enhance the reduction of ARGs, with the most substantial decreases observed at 65 °C. This temperature-dependent reduction correlates with changes in the microbial community structure, where specific bacterial genera like Alicycliphilus, Macellibacteroides, Dokdonella, Ahniella, Thauera, and Zoogloea associated with ARGs exhibit decreased abundance at elevated temperatures. The study infers that AD at higher temperatures could be a more effective strategy in mitigating the spread of antibiotic resistance in the environment, suggesting a pivotal role of operational temperature in optimizing wastewater treatment processes for ARGs attenuation. The findings highlight the need for further research to refine AD protocols, aiming to minimize the environmental impact of antibiotic resistance dissemination.202540662898
702550.9998Aerobic composting as an effective cow manure management strategy for reducing the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes: An integrated meta-omics study. Livestock manure is considered as an important source for spreading antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment, and therefore poses a direct threat to public health. Whereas the effects of reused manure on soil microbial communities and ARGs have been studied extensively, comprehensive characterizations of microbial communities and ARGs of manure produced by different management methods are not well understood. Here, we analyzed the fate of microbial communities and ARGs of cow manure treated by three conventional management strategies: aerobic composting, mechanical drying and precipitation, applying an integrated-omics approach combining metagenomics and metaproteomics. Integrated-omics demonstrated that composted manure contained the lowest diversity of microbial community and ARGs compared with manure treated by other two strategies. Quantitative PCR methods revealed that the abundances of ARGs were reduced by over 83 % after composting for 14 days, regardless of the season. Besides, the potential ARG hosts Acinetobacter and Pseudomonas dominating mechanical drying process were sharply decreased in abundances after composting. The significant co-occurrence networks among bacteria, ARGs and transposase gene tnpA-01 in composting samples indicated the important role of these bacteria in the dissemination of ARGs. These findings offer insight into potential strategies to control the spread of ARGs during livestock manure reuse.202031884359
703960.9998Profiles and key drivers of bacteria/phage co-mediated antibiotic resistance genes during swine manure composting amended with humic acid. Phages can promote the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in agricultural environments through transduction. However, studies on phage-mediated ARG profiles during composting have not been performed. This study investigated the effects of adding humic acid (HA) on the abundances of bacteria/phage co-mediated ARGs (b/pARGs) during swine manure composting and the key factors that affected the transmission of b/pARGs. The results showed that the addition of 5 % HA during composting could effectively reduce the absolute abundances of b/pARGs, inhibit the proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms (e.g., Corynebacterium and Streptococcus) that carried ARGs, and ultimately affect the fate of b/pARGs in the composting process by regulating key environmental factors to change the abundance of co-host bacteria. Overall, the findings of this study provided new information for understanding the main driving factors affecting the b/pARGs profile and provided a reference for the prevention and control of ARGs pollution during composting.202336774987
750770.9998Impact of different organic matters on the occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes in activated sludge. The occurrence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in various environments has drawn worldwide attention due to their potential risks. Previous studies have reported that a variety of substances can enhance the occurrence and dissemination of ARGs. However, few studies have compared the response of ARGs under the stress of different organic matters in biological wastewater treatment systems. In this study, seven organic pollutants were added into wastewater treatment bioreactors to investigate their impacts on the ARG occurrence in activated sludge. Based on high-throughput sequencing, it was found that the microbial communities and ARG patterns were significantly changed in the activated sludge exposed to these organic pollutants. Compared with the non-antibiotic refractory organic matters, antibiotics not only increased the abundance of ARGs but also significantly changed the ARG compositions. The increase of Gram-negative bacteria (e.g., Archangium, Prosthecobacter and Dokdonella) carrying ARGs could be the main cause of ARG proliferation. In addition, significant co-occurrence relationships between ARGs and mobile genetic elements were also observed in the sludge samples, which may also affect the ARG diversity and abundance during the organic matter treatment in the bioreactors. Overall, these findings provide new information for better understanding the ARG occurrence and dissemination caused by organic pollutants in wastewater treatment systems.202336522059
691680.9998Mobile genetic elements in potential host microorganisms are the key hindrance for the removal of antibiotic resistance genes in industrial-scale composting with municipal solid waste. During the municipal solid waste (MSW) composting, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) could be one of the concerns to hinder the application of MSW composting. However, the understanding of enrichment and dissemination of ARGs during the industrial-scale composting is still not clear. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the ARG distributions at different stages in an industrial-scale MSW composting plant. Seven target ARGs and four target mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and bacterial communities were investigated. The abundances of ARGs and MGEs increased during two aerobic thermophilic stages, but they decreased in most ARGs and MGEs after composting. Network analysis showed that potential host bacteria of ARGs were mainly Firmicutes and Actinobacteria. The reduction of potential host bacteria was important to remove ARGs. MGEs were an important factor hindering ARG removal. Water-extractable S and pH were two main physicochemical factors in the changes of microbial community and the abundance of ARGs.202031962245
704090.9998The maturity period is the main stage of antibiotic resistance genes reduction in aerobic composting process of swine manure in sub-scale farms. This study was focused on the changes of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their potential host bacteria during the swine manure composting on sub-scale farms. Eight target ARGs increased 427% on average, with a trend of increase at early stage and decrease at later stage, and the main reduction stage appeared in maturity stage. The abundance of ARGs was mainly affected by the community succession of potential host bacteria. Composting could reduce the abundance of potential host bacteria of ARGs as well as pathogens such as Pseudomonas, and reduce the environmental risks of swine manure. N/C and S levels had a positive effect on the potential host of most ARGs. Prolonging the maturity period would inhibit the growth of potential host bacteria of ARGs during composting, therefore inhibiting the transmission of ARGs.202132971337
6920100.9998Dynamics and key drivers of antibiotic resistance genes during aerobic composting amended with plant-derived and animal manure-derived biochars. Plant-derived and animal manure-derived biochars have been used to improve the quality of compost but the differences in their effects on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during composting are unclear. This study selected two types of biochar (RB and PB) produced from abundant agricultural waste to be added to the compost. Adding plant-derived RB performed better in ARGs, mobile genetic elements, and human pathogenic bacteria removal during aerobic composting, whereas adding manure-derived PB even increased ARGs abundance. Vertical gene transfer was possibly the key mechanism for persistent ARGs, and easily removed ARGs were regulated by horizontal and vertical gene transfer. Adding plant-derived RB reduced the abundances of persistent ARG hosts (e.g., Pseudomonas and Longispora) and ARG-related metabolic pathways and genes. The higher nitrogen content of manure-derived PB may have promoted the proliferation of ARG hosts. Overall, adding manure-derived biochar during composting may not be the optimal option for eliminating ARGs.202235487450
7032110.9998Free Radicals on Aging Microplastics Regulated the Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in the Aquatic Environment: New Insight into the Effect of Microplastics on the Spreading of Biofilm Resistomes. The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) by microplastics has received a great concern in coexisting "hotspots". Despite most microplastics suffering from natural aging, little is known about the effect of aging microplastics (A-MPs) on ARGs dissemination. Here, we demonstrated significant suppression of A-MPs on ARGs dissemination in natural rivers. Although ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were effectively enriched on A-MPs, the relative abundance of ARGs and MGEs on A-MPs as well as in receiving water decreased by approximately 21.4% to 42.3% during a period of 30 days of dissemination. Further investigation revealed that (•)OH was consistently generated on A-MPs with a maximum value of 0.2 μmol/g. Importantly, scavenging of (•)OH significantly increased the relative abundance of ARGs and MGEs both on A-MPs and in receiving water 1.4-29.1 times, indicating the vital role of (•)OH in suppressing ARGs dissemination. Microbial analysis revealed that (•)OH inhibited the potential antibiotic-resistant bacteria in surface biofilms, such as Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter (with a decrease of 68.8% and 89.3%). These results demonstrated that (•)OH was extensively produced on A-MPs, which greatly reduced both the vertical and horizontal gene transfer of ARGs. This study provided new insights into the dissemination of ARGs through microplastics in natural systems.202540359213
7041120.9998Antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes in sewage sludge survive during aerobic composting. Municipal sewage sludge has been generated in increasing amounts with the acceleration of urbanization and economic development. The nutrient rich sewage sludge can be recycled by composting that has a great potential to produce stabilized organic fertilizer and substrate for plant cultivation. However, little is known about the metals, pathogens and antibiotic resistance transfer risks involved in applying the composted sludge in agriculture. We studied changes in and relationships between heavy metal contents, microbial communities, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), heavy metal resistance genes (HMRGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in aerobic composting of sewage sludge. The contents of most of the analyzed heavy metals were not lower after composting. The bacterial α-diversity was lower, and the community composition was different after composting. Firmicutes were enriched, and Proteobacteria and potential pathogens in the genera Arcobacter and Acinetobacter were depleted in the composted sludge. The differences in bacteria were possibly due to the high temperature phase during the composting which was likely to affect temperature-sensitive bacteria. The number of detected ARGs, HMRGs and MGEs was lower, and the relative abundances of several resistance genes were lower after composting. However, the abundance of seven ARGs and six HMRGs remained on the same level after composting. Co-occurrence analysis of bacterial taxa and the genes suggested that the ARGs may spread via horizontal gene transfer during composting. In summary, even though aerobic composting is effective for managing sewage sludge and to decrease the relative abundance of potential pathogens, ARGs and HMRGs, it might include a potential risk for the dissemination of ARGs in the environment.202336608829
7042130.9998Response of antibiotic resistance genes abundance by graphene oxide during the anaerobic digestion of swine manure with copper pollution. The pollution of various environments with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is an urgent problem that needs to be addressed, especially in heavy metal-polluted environments. This study investigated the responses of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) to the addition of graphene oxide (GO) to swine manure containing a high concentration copper during anaerobic digestion. The total copy numbers of ARGs and MGEs were significantly enhanced by the pressure due to Cu. GO significantly decreased the ARG and MGE copy numbers, where the low GO concentration performed better than the high GO concentration. Network analysis showed that most of the ARGs and MGEs co-occurred and they shared the same major potential host bacteria. The contributions of different factors to ARG abundances were assessed by redundancy analysis and MGEs had the most important effect on the fate of ARGs. Thus, GO may reduce the abundance of ARGs mainly by removing MGEs.201930445329
7554140.9998Effects of earthworms on the fate of tetracycline and fluoroquinolone resistance genes of sewage sludge during vermicomposting. Diverse antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) present in sewage sludge are difficult to be eliminated using conventional sludge treatment processes. To date, little remains known on the fate of the ARGs during vermicomposting of sludge. This study aimed to investigate the effect of earthworms on the fate of tetracycline and fluoroquinolone resistance genes, and integrons during vermicomposting of sewage sludge through contrasting two systems of sludge stabilization with and without earthworms. Compared to the control without earthworms, vermicomposting significantly (p < 0.05) decreased the abundances of tetracycline and fluoroquinolone resistance genes and int1, with complete removal for parC. Variations in ARGs were associated with environmental factors, horizontal gene transfer, bacterial community composition, and earthworms during vermicomposting. In addition, earthworms strongly affected the possible host bacteria encoding ARGs and Int1, abating the pathogenic bacteria in vermicomposting product. These results imply that vermicomposting could effectively reduce tetracycline and fluoroquinolone resistance genes in the sludge.201829536871
7931150.9998The stress response of tetracycline resistance genes and bacterial communities under the existence of microplastics in typical leachate biological treatment system. Landfill leachate is an important source of microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs). Here, in the presence of polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) and polyethylene MPs (PE-MPs), the nitrogen and phosphorus removal effect and sludge structure performance were affected in an anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic system, a typical biological leachate treatment process. The abundance of tetracycline-resistance genes (tet genes) in biofilms on the two types of MP was significantly higher than that in the leachate and sludge, and the load on PE-MPs was higher than that on PS-MPs because of the porous structure of PE-MPs. Aging of the MPs increased their surface roughness and abundance of oxygen-containing functional groups and shaped the profile of ARGs in the MP biofilms. The biofilm biomass and growth rate on the two types of MP increased with the incubation time in the first 30 days, and was affected by environmental factors. Structural equation models and co-occurrence network analysis demonstrated that the MPs indirectly affected the spectrum of ARGs by affecting biofilm formation, and, to a lesser extent, had a direct impact on the selective enrichment of ARGs. We discuss the mechanisms of the relationships between MPs and ARGs in the leachate treatment system, which will have guiding significance for future research. Our data on the colonization of microorganisms and tet genes in MPs biofilms provide new evidence concerning the accumulation and transmission of these ARGs, and are important for understanding the mechanisms of MPs in spreading pollution.202439018858
8588160.9998Does lipid stress affect performance, fate of antibiotic resistance genes and microbial dynamics during anaerobic digestion of food waste? The dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in food waste (FW) disposal can pose severe threats to public health. Lipid is a primary composition in FW, while whether lipid stress can affect ARGs dynamics during anaerobic digestion (AD) process of FW is uncertain. This study focused on the impacts of lipid stress on methane production, fate of ARGs and its microbial mechanisms during AD of FW. Results showed that high lipid content increased methane yield but prolonged hydrolysis and lag time of methane production compared to AD of FW without oil. Moreover, variations of ARGs were more susceptible to lipid stress. Lipid stress could facilitate the reduction of total ARGs abundances compared to the group without oil, particularly restraining the proliferation of sul1, aadA1 and mefA in AD systems (P < 0.05). Mantel test suggested that integrons (intl1 and intl2) were significantly correlated with all detected ARGs (r: 0.33, P < 0.05), indicating that horizontal gene transfer mediated by integrons could be the driving force on ARGs dissemination. Network analysis suggested that Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Synergistetes and Proteobacteria were the main potential hosts of ARGs. In addition, under the lipid stress, the reduction of host bacteria was responsible for the elimination of several specific ARGs, thereby affecting ARGs profiles. These findings firstly deciphered ARGs dynamics and their driving factors responding to lipid stress during anaerobic biological treatment of FW.202133250254
8576170.9998Biochar can mitigate co-selection and control antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) in compost and soil. Heavy metals (HMs) contamination raises the expression of antibiotic resistance (AR) in bacteria through co-selection. Biochar application in composting improves the effectiveness of composting and the quality of compost. This improvement includes the elimination and reduction of antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs). The use of biochar in contaminated soils reduces the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of the contaminants hence reducing the biological and environmental toxicity. This decrease in contaminant bioavailability reduces contaminants induced co-selection pressure. Conditions which favour reduction in HMs bioavailable fraction (BF) appear to favour reduction in ARGs in compost and soil. Biochar can prevent horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and can eliminate ARGs carried by mobile genetic elements (MGEs). This effect reduces maintenance and propagation of ARGs. Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria are the major bacteria phyla identified to be responsible for dissipation, maintenance, and propagation of ARGs. Biochar application rate at 2-10% is the best for the elimination of ARGs. This review provides insight into the usefulness of biochar in the prevention of co-selection and reduction of AR, including challenges of biochar application and future research prospects.202235663734
6930180.9998Effect of fertilizer type on antibiotic resistance genes by reshaping the bacterial community and soil properties. Conventional and bio-organic fertilizers play an important role in maintaining soil health and promoting crop growth. However, the effect of organic fertilizers on the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the vegetable cropping system has been largely overlooked. In this study, we investigated the impacts of soil properties and biotic factors on ARG profiles by analyzing ARG and bacterial communities in vegetable copping soils with a long-term history of manure and bio-organic fertilizer application. The ARG abundance in the soil was significantly increased by 116% with manure application compared to synthetic NPK fertilizer application. This finding was corroborated by our meta-analysis that the longer the duration of manure application, the greater the response of increased soil ARG abundance. However, bio-organic fertilizers containing Trichoderma spp. Significantly reduced ARG contamination by 31% compared to manure application. About half of the ARG variation was explained by changes in bacterial abundance and structure, followed by soil properties. The mitigation of ARG by Trichoderma spp. Is achieved by altering the structure of the bacterial community and weakening the close association between bacteria and ARG prevalence. Taken together, these findings shed light on the contribution of bio-organic fertilizers in mitigating ARG contamination in agricultural soils, which can help manage the ecological risk posed by ARG inputs associated with manure application.202337343633
7551190.9998Microbial community evolution and fate of antibiotic resistance genes during sludge treatment in two full-scale anaerobic digestion plants with thermal hydrolysis pretreatment. Anaerobic digestion (AD) with thermal hydrolysis pretreatment is widely used as an efficient sludge treatment nowadays. However, the evolution of microbial community (especially for the archaea community), the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), and their associations during such process in full-scale sludge treatment plants are rarely reported. Therefore, these scientific questions were explored at two full-scale sludge treatment plants through high-throughput sequencing and quantitative PCR. Results showed that Methanobacterium and Methanosphaera were the dominant archaea in thermal hydrolyzed sludge. The predominant bacteria in the sludge first shifted from nutrients removal functional bacteria to spore-forming bacteria after thermal hydrolysis, and then shifted to fermentative bacteria after AD. The full-scale plants could select ermB, ermF, mefA/E, qnrS and tetM. Though the bacteria and archaea biomass and community largely influenced the fate of ARGs, multiple linear regression analysis showed that the total ARGs were mainly affected by mobile genetic elements (MGEs).201931158777