Effects of freeze-thaw dynamics and microplastics on the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in soil aggregates. - Related Documents




#
Rank
Similarity
Title + Abs.
Year
PMID
012345
858201.0000Effects of freeze-thaw dynamics and microplastics on the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in soil aggregates. This is the first study investigating the effects of freeze-thaw (FT) and microplastics (MPs) on the distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil aggregates (i.e., soil basic constituent and functional unit) via microcosm experiments. The results showed that FT significantly increased the total relative abundance of target ARGs in different aggregates due to the increase in intI1 and ARG host bacteria. However, polyethylene MPs (PE-MPs) hindered the increase in ARG abundance caused by FT. The host bacteria carrying ARGs and intI1 varied with aggregate size, and the highest number of hosts was observed in micro-aggregates (<0.25 mm). FT and MPs altered host bacteria abundance by affecting aggregate physicochemical properties and bacterial community and enhanced multiple antibiotic resistance via vertical gene transfer. Although the dominant factors affecting ARGs varied with aggregate size, intI1 was a co-dominant factor in various-sized aggregates. Furthermore, other than ARGs, FT, PE-MPs, and their integration promoted the proliferation of human pathogenic bacteria in aggregates. These findings suggested that FT and its integration with MPs significantly affected ARG distribution in soil aggregates. They amplified antibiotic resistance environmental risks, contributing to a profound understanding of soil antibiotic resistance in the boreal region.202337059196
705310.9998Plastisphere 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
750720.9998Impact 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
704130.9998Antibiotic 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
858440.9998Microplastics enhance the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in mariculture sediments by enriching host bacteria and promoting horizontal gene transfer. Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) pose significant challenges to the One Health framework due to their intricate and multifaceted ecological and environmental impacts. However, the understanding of how MP properties influence ARG prevalence in mariculture sediments remains limited. Herein, the polystyrene (PS) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) MPs with different sizes (20-120 μm and 0.5-2.0 mm) were selected to evaluate their impacts and underlying mechanisms driving ARGs dissemination. The results showed that PS and PVC MPs increased the relative abundance of ARGs by 1.41-2.50-fold and 2.01-2.84-fold, respectively, compared with control, particularly high-risk genes. The polymer type effect was identified as more influential than the size effect in driving the sediment resistome evolution. PVC shifted the microbial community assembly from stochastic to deterministic processes, thus enriching ARG host pathogens. Furthermore, the highly hydrophobic PS not only recruited the host bacteria colonization but also facilitated ARG exchange within the plastisphere. The exogenous additives released by PVC (e.g., heavy metals, bisphenol A, and tridecyl ester) and the particles synergistically promoted ARG conjugative transfer by inducing oxidative stress and enhancing cell membrane permeability. These findings revealed how MPs characteristics facilitated the spread of ARGs in marine benthic ecosystems, underscoring the importance of mitigating MPs pollution to maintain mariculture ecosystem health, prevent zoonotic diseases, and balance global mariculture with ecological health.202540052062
704250.9998Response 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
705260.9998Plastisphere enrich antibiotic resistance genes and potential pathogenic bacteria in sewage with pharmaceuticals. Microplastics (MPs) and pharmaceuticals are common emerging pollutants in sewage, and their coexistence may have more negative effects on the environments. This study chose tetracycline (TC), ampicillin (AMP) and triclosan (TCS) to investigate the responses of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microbial communities on different MPs (polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE)) biofilms (plastisphere). The adsorption capacity of three pharmaceuticals on PVC and PE decreased in the order of AMP > TC > TCS. PE was more conducive to microbial attachment than PVC. MPs led to the increase of the total copies of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in the sewage. Importantly, multidrug ARGs and MGEs were enriched on plastisphere. Furthermore, the co-occurrence of TC and MPs led to higher risks of spreading ARGs and MGEs. In addition, potential pathogenic bacteria Legionella, Mycobacterium, Neisseria and Arcobacter were more abundant on plastisphere than those in sewage, and these bacteria might be the hosts for ARGs and MGEs. This study showed that plastisphere could be repositories of ARGs and MGEs in sewage and accumulated potential pathogenic bacteria.202133454495
703270.9998Free 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
793180.9998The 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
858390.9998Microplastics Enhance the Prevalence of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Anaerobic Sludge Digestion by Enriching Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Surface Biofilm and Facilitating the Vertical and Horizontal Gene Transfer. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microplastics (MPs) are recognized as emerging contaminants and threats to global human health. Despite both of them being significantly detected in their "hotspots", i.e., waste activated sludge (WAS), rare studies on how MPs affect ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in anaerobic sludge digestion are available. Herein, the fate of ARGs and ARB after exposure to MPs of three dosages (10, 30, and 80 particles/g-TS), three polymer types (LDPE, PET, and PS), and three branching extents (LDPE, LLDPE, and HDPE) in anaerobic sludge digestion was investigated. Metagenomic results indicated that all variants of MPs resulted in an increase of the relative abundance of ARGs in the digester compared to the control. The abundance of ARGs demonstrated a dosage-dependent relationship within the range from 10 to 80 particles/g-TS, resulting in an increase from 4.5 to 27.9% compared to the control. Branching structure and polymer type influence ARG level in the sludge digester as well. Mechanism studies revealed that LDPE selectively enriched potential ARB and ARGs in the surface biofilm, possibly creating a favorable environment for ARB proliferation and ARG exchange. Furthermore, vertical transfer of ARGs was facilitated by LDPE through increasing bacterial cell proliferation accompanied by the enhancement of relevant functional genes. The elevated abundance of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and ARGs-carrying plasmids also demonstrated that MGE-mediated horizontal transfer was promoted by LDPE at 80 particles/g-TS. This effect was compounded by increased oxidative stress, cell membrane permeability, and cell cohesion, collectively facilitating horizontal ARG transfer. Consequently, both vertical and horizontal transfer of ARGs could be concurrently promoted by LDPE an in anaerobic sludge digester.202337733635
7039100.9998Profiles 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
7577110.9998Microplastics can selectively enrich intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistant genes and shape different microbial communities in aquatic systems. Microplastics (MPs), as emerging contaminants, are posing potential risks to environment, and animal and human health. The ubiquitous presence of MPs in natural ecosystems provides favorable platform to selectively adsorb antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) and bacteria (ARB) and bacterial assemblages, especially in wastewater which is hotspot for MPs, ARGs and ARB. In this study, the selective capture of intracellular ARGs (iARGs), extracellular ARGs (eARGs), and bacterial assemblages by MPs with different materials (i.e. polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, and polyethylene terephthalate) and sizes (200 μm and 100 μm) was investigated. The results showed that iARGs (i.e. i-TetA, i-TetC, i-TetO, i-sul1), integron-integrase gene (intI1), and eARGs (i.e. e-TetA and e-bla(TEM)) were selectively enriched on MPs. Relative abundances of i-sul1, i-TetA, and intI1 were generally higher than that of i-TetC and i-TetO on all MPs. Moreover, MPs also have strong effects on the formation of microflora in wastewater, which resulted in different bacterial communities and functions in the wastewater and on the MPs. These findings suggested that MPs could affect the selective enrichment of ARB and ARGs in water environment.202235101514
6912120.9998Regulation of antibiotic resistance gene rebound by degrees of microecological niche occupation by microbiota carried in additives during the later phases of swine manure composting. The occupation of microecological niches (MNs) by bacteria carrying lower antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) has been demonstrated an effective strategy for reducing ARGs in compost, thereby mitigating the associated land use risks. In this study, humus soil (HS), matured compost (MC), and their respective isolated microbial agents (HSM and MCM), which exhibit varying abundances of ARGs, were introduced as additives after the thermophilic phase to investigate their influence on ARG removal and the mechanisms underlying effective MN occupation. The addition of HS resulted in the most favorable outcomes, including the highest carbon degradation, minimized nitrogen loss, and an 83.16 % reduction in ARG abundance during the later composting stages. In comparison, ARG rebound levels were 61.77 %-285.33 % across other treatments and 729.23 % in the control. Distinct dominant bacterial genera and potential ARG-host bacterial communities were observed, which varied with different additives and contributed to MN occupation dynamics. The addition of the HS additive intensified competition among non-host bacteria, and diversified the interactions both between genes and between bacteria. These changes suppressed horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mediated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and altered the abundance and composition of both dominant and non-dominant potential host species. Furthermore, it shifted the relative importance of key physicochemical parameters, collectively enhancing ARG removal during composting. These findings elucidate the mechanisms by which MN adjustments contribute to ARG reduction, providing actionable insights for designing composting strategies that mitigate environmental ARG dissemination risks more effectively.202540154224
7563130.9998Polystyrene microplastics alleviate the effects of sulfamethazine on soil microbial communities at different CO(2) concentrations. Microplastics were reported to adsorb antibiotics and may modify their effects on soil systems. But there has been little research investigating how microplastics may affect the toxicities of antibiotics to microbes under future climate conditions. Here, we used a free-air CO(2) enrichment system to investigate the responses of soil microbes to sulfamethazine (SMZ, 1 mg kg(-1)) in the presence of polystyrene microplastics (PS, 5 mg kg(-1)) at different CO(2) concentrations (ambient at 380 ppm and elevated at 580 ppm). SMZ alone decreased bacterial diversity, negatively affected the bacterial structure and inter-relationships, and enriched the sulfonamide-resistance genes (sul1 and sul2) and class 1 integron (intl1). PS, at both CO(2) conditions, showed little effect on soil bacteria but markedly alleviated SMZ's adverse effects on bacterial diversity, composition and structure, and inhibited sul1 transmission by decreasing the intl1 abundance. Elevated CO(2) had limited modification in SMZ's disadvantages to microbial communities but markedly decreased the sul1 and sul2 abundance. Results indicated that increasing CO(2) concentration or the presence of PS affected the responses of soil microbes to SMZ, providing new insights into the risk prediction of antibiotics under future climate conditions.202133592488
6815140.9998Bacterial 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
7038150.9998Interactions between fungi and bacteria hosts carrying MGEs is dominant for ARGs fate during manure mesophilic composting. The mycelial networks of fungi promote the interaction between the originally isolated bacteria, thereby potentially enhancing the exchange of nutrients and the horizontal transfer of genetic materials. However, the driving effect of fungi on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during mesophilic facultative composting is still unclear. This study aims to elucidate the changes in ARGs and underlying mechanisms during the mesophilic composting of manure. Results indicated that reduction rates of ARGs in sheep and pig manure over a 90-day composting period were 34.68% and 60.10%, respectively. The sul1, sul2 and tetX were identified as recalcitrant ARGs in both composting treatments, with the additional unique recalcitrant gene addA observed in sheep manure. Fungal communities appeared to have a more significant influence on the cooperation between bacteria and fungi. Massive fungi interacted intensively with bacterial hosts carrying both ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). In sheep and pig manure, there were 53 and 38 potential bacterial hosts (genus level) carrying both ARGs and MGEs, associated close interactions with fungi. Structural equation modeling revealed that compost properties influence ARGs by affecting the abundance of core fungi and the hosts carrying MGEs, and that core fungi could also impact ARGs by influencing the bacterial hosts carrying MGEs. Core fungi have the potential to facilitate the horizontal transfer of ARGs by enhancing bacterial network interactions.202539764902
7929160.9998Size-dependent effects of microplastics on antibiotic resistance genes fate in wastewater treatment systems: The role of changed surface property and microbial assemblages in a continuous exposure mode. Microplastics (MPs) were continuously transported to wastewater treatment systems and accumulated in sludge constantly, potentially affecting systems function and co-occurrent contaminants fate. However, previous studies were based on acute exposure of MPs, which could not reflect the dynamics of MPs accumulation. Herein, this study firstly raised a more realistic method to evaluate the practical impacts of MPs on systems purification efficiency and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) fate. Continuous exposure of MPs did not pose negative effects on nutrients removal, but significantly changed the occurrence patterns of ARGs. ARGs abundances increased by 42.8 % and 54.3 % when exposed to millimeter-size MPs (mm-MPs) polyamide and polyethylene terephthalate, but increased by 31.3 % and 39.4 % to micron-size MPs (μm-MPs), respectively. Thus, mm-MPs posed severer effects on ARGs than μm-MPs. Further, mm-MPs surface properties were obviously altered after long-term exposure (higher specific surface area and O-containing species), which benefited microbes attachment. More importantly, more taxa linkages and changed topological properties (higher average degree and average weight) of co-occurrent network were observed in sludge with mm-MPs than with μm-MPs, as well as totally different potential host bacteria of ARGs. Rough surface of MPs and closer relations between ARGs and bacteria taxa contributed to the propagation of ARGs, which accounted for the observed higher ARGs abundances of mm-MPs. This study demonstrated that long-term accumulation of MPs in wastewater treatment systems affected ARGs fate, and mm-MPs caused severer risk due to their enrichment of ARGs. The results would promote the understanding of MPs real environmental behavior and influences.202236037899
6916170.9998Mobile 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
6983180.9998Deciphering Potential Roles of Earthworms in Mitigation of Antibiotic Resistance in the Soils from Diverse Ecosystems. Earthworms are capable of redistributing bacteria and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through soil profiles. However, our understanding of the earthworm gut microbiome and its interaction with the antibiotic resistome is still lacking. Here, we characterized the earthworm gut and soil microbiome and antibiotic resistome in natural and agricultural ecosystems at a national scale, and microcosm studies and field experiments were also employed to test the potential role of earthworms in dynamics of soil ARGs. The diversity and structure of bacterial communities were different between the earthworm gut and soil. A significant correlation between bacterial community dissimilarity and spatial distance between sites was identified in the earthworm gut. The earthworm gut consistently had lower ARGs than the surrounding soil. A significant reduction in the relative abundance of mobile genetic elements and dominant bacterial phylotypes that are the likely hosts of ARGs was observed in the earthworm gut compared to the surrounding soil, which might contribute to the decrease of ARGs in the earthworm gut. The microcosm studies and field experiments further confirmed that the presence of earthworms significantly reduced the number and abundance of ARGs in soils. Our study implies that earthworm-based bioremediation may be a method to reduce risks associated with the presence of ARGs in soils.202133977709
7979190.9998Size-dependent promotion of micro(nano)plastics on the horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in constructed wetlands. Constructed wetlands (CWs) have been identified as significant sources of micro(nano)plastics (MPs/NPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in aquatic environments. However, little is known about the impact of MPs/NPs exposure on horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs and shaping the corresponding ARG hosts' community. Herein, the contribution of polystyrene (PS) particles (control, 4 mm, 100 μm, and 100 nm) to ARG transfer was investigated by adding an engineered fluorescent Escherichia coli harboring RP4 plasmid-encoded ARGs into CWs. It was found MPs/NPs significantly promoted ARG transfer in a size-dependent manner in each CW medium (p < 0.05). The 100 μm-sized PS exhibited the most significant promotion of ARG transfer (p < 0.05), whereas 100 nm-sized PS induced limited promotion due to its inhibitory activity on microbes. The altered RP4-carrying bacterial communities suggested that MPs/NPs, especially 100 µm-PS, could recruit pathogenic and nitrifying bacteria to acquire ARGs. The increased sharing of RP4-carrying core bacteria in CW medium further suggested that ARGs can spread into CW microbiome using MPs/NPs as carriers. Overall, our results highlight the high risks of ARG dissemination induced by MPs/NPs exposure and emphasize the need for better control of plastic disposal to prevent the potential health threats.202337657315