# | Rank | Similarity | Title + Abs. | Year | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6858 | 0 | 0.9990 | Antibiotic resistance genes risks in relation to host pathogenicity and mobility in a typical hospital wastewater treatment process. Hospital wastewaters (HWWs) serve as critical reservoirs for disseminating antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). However, the dynamics and noteworthy shifts of ARGs and their associated pathogenicity, mobility, and resistome risks during HWWs treatment processes remain poorly understood. Utilizing metagenomic sequencing and assembly, we identified 817 ARG subtypes conferring resistance to 20 classes of antibiotics across 18 HWW samples from influent to effluent. Genes encoding resistance to multidrug, aminoglycoside and beta_lactam were the most prevalent ARG types, reflecting patterns observed in clinical settings. On-site treatment efforts decreased the relative abundance of ARGs by 77.4% from influent to secondary sedimentation, whereas chlorine disinfection significantly increased their abundance in the final effluent. Deterministic processes primarily drove the taxonomic assembly, with Proteobacteria being the most abundant phylum and serving as the primary host for 15 ARG types. Contig-based analysis further revealed 114 pathogenic ARB, with Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa exhibiting multidrug-resistant. The contributions of host bacteria and pathogenic ARB varied throughout wastewater treatment. In addition, 7.10%-31.0 % ARGs were flanked by mobile genetic elements (MGEs), predominantly mediated by transposase (74.1%). Notably, tnpA exhibited the highest potential for ARG dissemination, frequently co-occurring with beta-lactam resistance genes (35.2%). Considering ARG profiles, pathogenic hosts, and transferability, raw influent exhibited the highest antibiotic resistome risk index (ARRI), followed by the final effluent. Chlorine disinfection exacerbated resistome risks by inducing potential pathogenic ARB and mobile ARGs, posing threats to the receiving environment. This study delineates ARG occurrence patterns, highlights mechanisms of ARG carriage and horizontal gene transfer, and provides insights for assessing resistance risks and prioritizing interventions in clinical settings. | 2024 | 38964571 |
| 7045 | 1 | 0.9990 | The formation mechanism of antibiotic-resistance genes associated with bacterial communities during biological decomposition of household garbage. Food wastes are significant reservoir of antibiotic-resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) available for exchange with clinical pathogens. However, food wastes-related changes of antibiotic resistance in long-period decomposition have been overlooked. Here, we evaluated the comprehensive ARG profile and its association with microbial communities, explained how this might vary with household garbage decomposition. Average of 128, 150 and 91 ARGs were detected in meat, vegetable and fruit wastes, respectively, with multidrug and tetracycline as the predominant ARG types. ARG abundance significantly increased at initial stage of waste fermentation and then decreased. High abundance of Eubacterium-coprostanoligenes, Sporanaerobacter, Peptoniphilus, Peptostreptococcus might be explained for the high relative abundance of ARGs in meat, while high abundance of Advenella, Prevotella, Solobacterium was attributed to the high diversity of ARGs in vegetables. Significant correlations were observed among volatile organic compounds, mobile genetic elements and ARGs, implying that they might contribute to transfer and transport of ARGs. Network analysis revealed that aph(2')-Id-01, acrA-05, tetO-1 were potential ARG indicators, while Hathewaya, Paraclostridium and Prevotellaceae were possible hosts of ARGs. Our work might unveil underlining mechanism of the effects of food wastes decomposition on development and spread of ARGs in environment and also clues to ARG mitigation. | 2020 | 32492618 |
| 6881 | 2 | 0.9990 | Spatiotemporal profiles and underlying mechanisms of the antibiotic resistome in two water-diversion lakes. Human-induced interventions have altered the local characteristics of the lake ecosystems through changes in hydraulic exchange, which in turn impacts the ecological processes of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the lakes. However, the current understanding of the spatiotemporal patterns and driving factors of ARGs in water-diversion lakes is still seriously insufficient. In the present study, we investigated antibiotic resistome in the main regulation and storage hubs, namely Nansi Lake and Dongping Lake, of the eastern part of the South-to-North Water Diversion project in Shandong Province (China) using a metagenomic-based approach. A total of 653 ARG subtypes belonging to 25 ARG types were detected with a total abundance of 0.125-0.390 copies/cell, with the dominance of bacitracin, multidrug, and macrolide-lincosamide streptogramin resistance genes. The ARG compositions were sensitive to seasonal variation and also interfered by artificial regulation structures along the way. Human pathogenic bacteria such as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Acinetobacter lwoffii, Klebsiella pneumoniae, along with the multidrug resistance genes they carried, were the focus of risk control in the two studied lakes, especially in summer. Plasmids were the key mobile genetic elements (MGEs) driving the horizontal gene transfer of ARGs, especially multidrug and sulfonamide resistance genes. The null model revealed that stochastic process was the main driver of ecological drift for ARGs in the lakes. The partial least squares structural equation model further determined that seasonal changes of pH and temperature drove a shift in the bacterial community, which in turn shaped the profile of ARGs by altering the composition of MGEs, antibacterial biocide- and metal-resistance genes (BMGs), and virulence factor genes (VFGs). Our results highlighted the importance of seasonal factors in determining the water transfer period. These findings can aid in a deeper understanding of the spatiotemporal variations of ARGs in lakes and their driving factors, offering a scientific basis for antibiotic resistance management. | 2024 | 39322056 |
| 6865 | 3 | 0.9990 | A metagenomic analysis framework for characterization of antibiotic resistomes in river environment: Application to an urban river in Beijing. River is considered generally as a natural reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in environments. For the prevention and control of ARG risks, it is critical to comprehensively characterize the antibiotic resistomes and their associations in riverine systems. In this study, we proposed a metagenomic framework for identifying antibiotic resistomes in river sediments from multiple categories, including ARG potential, ARG hosts, pathogenicity potential, co-selection potential and gene transfer potential, and applied it to understand the presence, hosts, and co-occurrence of ARGs in the sediments of an urban river in Beijing. Results showed that a total of 203 ARG subtypes belonging to 21 ARG types were detected in the river sediments with an abundance range of 107.7-1004.1×/Gb, dominated by multidrug, macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin, bacitracin, quinolone and sulfonamide resistance genes. Host-tracking analysis identified Dechloromonas, Pseudoxanthomonas, Arenimonas, Lysobacter and Pseudomonas as the major hosts of ARGs. A number of ARG-carrying contigs (ACCs) were annotated as fragments of pathogenic bacteria and carried multiple multidrug-ARGs. In addition, various biocide/metal resistance genes (B/MRGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs), including prophages, plasmids, integrons and transposons, were detected in the river sediments. More importantly, the co-occurrence analysis via ACCs showed a strong association of ARGs with B/MRGs and MGEs, indicating high potential of co-selection and active horizontal transmission for ARGs in the river environment, likely driven by the frequent impact of anthropogenic activities in that area. | 2019 | 30453138 |
| 6866 | 4 | 0.9990 | Deciphering the antibiotic resistome in stratified source water reservoirs in China: Distribution, risk, and ecological drive. The proliferation and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in source water reservoirs may pose a threat to human health. This study investigated the antibiotic resistance in stratified reservoirs in China across different seasons and spatial locations. In total, 120 ARG subtypes belonging to 15 ARG types were detected with an abundance ranging from 171.06 to 793.71 × /Gb. Multidrug, tetracycline, aminoglycoside, and bacitracin resistance genes were dominant in the reservoirs. The abundance and transfer potential of ARGs were notably higher, especially during the stratified period, with markedly elevated levels in the bottom layer compared to the surface layer. Metagenomic assembly yielded 1357 ARG-carrying contigs, belonging to 83 resistant bacterial species, of which 13 were identified as human pathogen bacteria (HPB). HPB hosts (Sphingomonas sp., Burkholderiales sp., and Ralstonia sp., etc.) were super carriers of ARGs. Genes including ompR, bacA, golS, and ugd carried on HPB plasmids exhibited higher abundance in the water, warranting attention to the risk of resistance transmission. Environmental pressures have caused a shift in the assembly mechanism of ARGs, transitioning from a random process in surface water to a deterministic process in bottom water. The results of this study will deepen people's understanding of the ARG risk in stratified reservoirs. | 2025 | 39673943 |
| 3092 | 5 | 0.9990 | Potential reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance in livestock waste and treated wastewater that can be disseminated to agricultural land. Livestock manure, dairy lagoon effluent, and treated wastewater are known reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and virulence factor genes (VFGs), and their application to agricultural farmland could be a serious public health threat. However, their dissemination to agricultural lands and impact on important geochemical pathways such as the nitrogen (N) cycle have not been jointly explored. In this study, shotgun metagenomic sequencing and analyses were performed to examine the diversity and composition of microbial communities, ARGs, VFGs, and N cycling genes in different livestock manure/lagoon and treated wastewater collected from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) and a municipal wastewater treatment plant along the west coast of the United States. Multivariate analysis showed that diversity indices of bacterial taxa from the different microbiomes were not significantly different based on InvSimpson (P = 0.05), but differences in ARG mechanisms were observed between swine manure and other microbiome sources. Comparative resistome profiling showed that ARGs in microbiome samples belonged to four core resistance classes: aminoglycosides (40-55 %), tetracyclines (30-45 %), beta-lactam-resistance (20-35 %), macrolides (18-30 %), and >50 % of the VFGs that the 24 microbiomes harbored were phyletically affiliated with two bacteria, Bacteroidetes fragilis and Enterobacter aerogenes. Network analysis based on Spearman correlation showed co-occurrence patterns between several genes such as transporter-gene and regulator, efflux pump and involved-in-polymyxin- resistance, aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, and macrolide with VFGs and bacterial taxa such as Firmicutes, Candidatus Themoplasmatota, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. Metabolic reconstruction of metagenome-assembled genome (MAGs) analysis showed that the most prevalent drug resistance mechanisms were associated with carbapenem resistance, multidrug resistance (MDR), and efflux pump. Bacteroidales was the main taxa involved in dissimilatory nitrate reduction (DNRA) in dairy lagoon effluent. This study demonstrates that the dissemination of waste from these sources can increase the spread of ARGs, ARB, and VFGs into agricultural lands, negatively impacting both soil and human health. | 2023 | 36781130 |
| 6883 | 6 | 0.9990 | Metagenomic insights into the profile of antibiotic resistomes in sediments of aquaculture wastewater treatment system. To meet the rapidly growing global demand for aquaculture products, large amounts of antibiotics were used in aquaculture, which might accelerate the evolution of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and the propagation of antibiotic genes (ARGs). In our research, we revealed the ARGs profiles, their co-occurrence with mobile genetic elements (MGEs), and potential hosts in sediments of a crab pond wastewater purification system based on metagenomic analysis. The residual antibiotic seems to increase the propagation of ARGs in the crab pond, but there was no clear relationship between a given antibiotic type and the corresponding resistance genes. The effect of aquaculture on sediment was not as profound as that of other anthropogentic activities, but increased the relative abundance of sulfonamide resistance gene. A higher abundance of MGEs, especially plasmid, increased the potential ARGs dissemination risk in crab and purification ponds. Multidrug and sulfonamide resistance genes had greater potential to transfer because they were more frequently carried by MGEs. The horizontal gene transfer was likely to occur among a variety of microorganisms, and various ARGs hosts including Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Escherichia, and Klebsiella were identified. Bacterial community influenced the composition of ARG hosts, and Proteobacteria was the predominant hosts. Overall, our study provides novel insights into the environmental risk of ARGs in sediments of aquaculture wastewater treatment system. | 2022 | 34963542 |
| 3200 | 7 | 0.9990 | New insight into the microbiome, resistome, and mobilome on the dental waste water in the context of heavy metal environment. OBJECT: Hospital sewage have been associated with incorporation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) into microbes, which is considered as a key indicator for the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The compositions of dental waste water (DWW) contain heavy metals, the evolution of AMR and its effects on the water environment in the context of heavy metal environment have not been seriously investigated. Thus, our major aims were to elucidate the evolution of AMR in DWW. METHODS: DWW samples were collected from a major dental department. The presence of microbial communities, ARGs, and MGEs in untreated and treated (by filter membrane and ozone) samples were analyzed using metagenomics and bioinformatic methods. RESULTS: DWW-associated resistomes included 1,208 types of ARGs, belonging to 29 antibiotic types/subtypes. The most abundant types/subtypes were ARGs of multidrug resistance and of antibiotics that were frequently used in the clinical practice. Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Chryseobacterium indologenes, Sphingomonas laterariae were the main bacteria which hosted these ARGs. Mobilomes in DWW consisted of 93 MGE subtypes which belonged to 8 MGE types. Transposases were the most frequently detected MGEs which formed networks of communications. For example, ISCrsp1 and tnpA.5/4/11 were the main transposases located in the central hubs of a network. These significant associations between ARGs and MGEs revealed the strong potential of ARGs transmission towards development of antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) bacteria. On the other hand, treatment of DWW using membranes and ozone was only effective in removing minor species of bacteria and types of ARGs and MGEs. CONCLUSION: DWW contained abundant ARGs, and MGEs, which contributed to the occurrence and spread of AMR bacteria. Consequently, DWW would seriously increase environmental health concerns which may be different but have been well-documented from hospital waste waters. | 2023 | 37152760 |
| 6882 | 8 | 0.9990 | Deciphering the mobility and bacterial hosts of antibiotic resistance genes under antibiotic selection pressure by metagenomic assembly and binning approaches. The presence of antibiotics can exert significant selection pressure on the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). However, co-selection effects for ARGs, the mobility of ARGs and the identification of ARG hosts under high antibiotic selection pressures are poorly understood. Here, metagenomic assembly and binning approaches were used to comprehensively decipher the prevalence of ARGs and their potential mobility and hosts in activated sludge reactors treating antibiotic production wastewater. We found the abundance of different ARG types in antibiotic treatments varied greatly and certain antibiotic pressure promoted the co-selection for the non-corresponding types of ARGs. Antibiotic selection pressures significantly increased the abundance and proportions of ARGs mediated by plasmids (57.9%), which were more prevalent than those encoded in chromosomes (19.2%). The results indicated that plasmids and chromosomes had a tendency to carry different types of ARGs. Moreover, higher co-occurrence frequency of ARGs and MGEs revealed that antibiotics enhanced the mobility potential of ARGs mediated by both plasmids and integrative and conjugative elements. Among the 689 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) with high estimated quality, 119 MAGs assigning to nine bacterial phyla were identified as the ARG hosts and 33 MAGs exhibited possible multi-resistance to antibiotics. Some ARG types tended to be carried by certain bacteria (e.g. bacitracin resistance genes carried by the family Burkholderiaceae) and thus showed a pronounced host-specific pattern. This study enhances the understanding of the mobility and hosts of ARGs and provides important insights into the risk assessment and management of antibiotic resistance. | 2020 | 32871290 |
| 6857 | 9 | 0.9989 | Metagenomic analysis reveals patterns and hosts of antibiotic resistance in different pig farms. In actual production environments, antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) are abundant in pig manure, which can form transmission chains through animals, the environment, and humans, thereby threatening human health. Therefore, based on metagenomic analysis methods, ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were annotated in pig manure samples from 6 pig farms in 3 regions of Shanxi Province, and the potential hosts of ARGs were analyzed. The results showed that a total of 14 ARG types were detected, including 182 ARG subtypes, among which tetracycline, phenol, aminoglycoside, and macrolide resistance genes were the main ones. ARG profiles, MGE composition, and microbial communities were significantly different in different regions as well as between different pig farms. In addition, Anaerobutyricum, Butyrivibrio, and Turicibacter were significantly associated with multiple ARGs, and bacteria such as Prevotella, Bacteroides, and the family Oscillospiraceae carried multiple ARGs, suggesting that these bacteria are potential ARG hosts in pig manure. Procrustes analysis showed that bacterial communities and MGEs were significantly correlated with ARG profiles. Variation partitioning analysis results indicated that the combined effect of MGEs and bacterial communities accounted for 64.08% of resistance variation and played an important role in ARG profiles. These findings contribute to our understanding of the dissemination and persistence of ARGs in actual production settings, and offer some guidance for the prevention and control of ARGs contamination. | 2023 | 36826766 |
| 6864 | 10 | 0.9989 | Metagenomics analysis revealing the occurrence of antibiotic resistome in salt lakes. Although antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in dozens of environments have been well documented, the distribution of ARGs in salt lake ecosystems has been less intensively investigated. In this study, the broad-spectrum ARG profiles, microbial community composition and the comprehensive associations between microbiome and antimicrobial resistome in four salt lakes were investigated using a metagenomic approach. A total of 175 ARG subtypes affiliated with 19 ARG types were detected, and ARGs conferring resistance to multidrug, bacitracin, and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin (MLS) accounted for 71.2% of the total ARG abundance. However, the abundance of ARGs significantly decreased with the increasing salinity in the lakes. Both ARG profiles and microbial community structure presented remarkable discrepancies in different lakes, as well as in different sample types. Microbes such as genera Azoarcus, Aeromonas, Pseudomonas, and Kocuria, significantly co-occurred with multiple ARGs, indicating that these bacteria are potential ARG hosts in salt lake ecosystems. Collectively, this work provides new insights into the occurrence and distribution of ARGs in salt lake ecosystems. | 2021 | 34380279 |
| 6895 | 11 | 0.9989 | Effects of heavy metals pollution on the co-selection of metal and antibiotic resistance in urban rivers in UK and India. Heavy metal pollution and the potential for co-selection of resistance to antibiotics in the environment is growing concern. However, clear associations between heavy metals and antibiotic resistance in river systems have not been developed. Here we investigated relationships between total and bioavailable heavy metals concentrations; metal resistance gene (MRG) and antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) abundances; mobile genetic elements; and the composition of local bacterial communities in low and high metal polluted rivers in UK and India. The results indicated that MRGs conferring resistance to cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni) (rcnA), and Co, zinc (Zn), and cadmium (Cd) (czcA), and ARGs conferring resistance to carbapenem and erythromycin were the dominating resistant genes across the samples. The relative MRGs, ARGs, and integrons abundances tended to increase at high metal polluted environments, suggesting high metals concentrations have a strong potential to promote metal and antibiotic resistance by horizontal gene transmission and affecting bacterial communities, leading to the development of multi-metal and multi-antibiotic resistance. Network analysis demonstrated the positive and significant relationships between MRGs and ARGs as well as the potential for integrons playing a role in the co-transmission of MRGs and ARGs (r > 0.80, p < 0.05). Additionally, the major host bacteria of various MRGs and ARGs that could be accountable for greater MRGs and ARGs levels at high metal polluted environments were also identified by network analysis. Spearman's rank-order correlations and RDA analysis further confirm relationships between total and bioavailable heavy metals concentrations and the relative MRG, ARG, and integron abundances, as well as the composition of related bacterial communities (r > 0.80 (or < -0.80), p < 0.05). These findings are critical for assessing the possible human health concerns associated with metal-driven antibiotic resistance and highlight the need of considering metal pollution for developing appropriate measures to control ARG transmission. | 2022 | 35491000 |
| 7140 | 12 | 0.9989 | Metagenomic insight into the prevalence and driving forces of antibiotic resistance genes in the whole process of three full-scale wastewater treatment plants. The spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) is an emerging global health concern, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), as an essential carrier for the occurrence and transmission of ARGs, deserves more attention. Based on the Illumina NovaSeq high-throughput sequencing platform, this study conducted a metagenomic analysis of 18 samples from three full-scale WWTPs to explore the fate of ARGs in the whole process (influent, biochemical treatment, advanced treatment, and effluent) of wastewater treatment. Total 70 ARG subtypes were detected, among which multidrug, aminoglycoside, tetracycline, and macrolide ARGs were most abundant. The different treatment processes used for three WWTPs were capable of reducing ARG diversity, but did not significantly reduce ARG abundance. Compared to that by denitrification filters, the membrane bioreactor (MBR) process was advantageous in controlling the prevalence of multidrug ARGs in WWTPs. Linear discriminant analysis Effect Size (LEfSe) suggested g_Nitrospira, g_Curvibacter, and g_Mycobacterium as the key bacteria responsible for differential ARG prevalence among different WWTPs. Meanwhile, adeF, sul1, and mtrA were the persistent antibiotic resistance genes (PARGs) and played dominant roles in the prevalence of ARGs. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria were the host bacteria of majority ARGs in WWTPs, while Pseudomonas and Nitrospira were the most crucial host bacteria influencing the dissemination of critical ARGs (e.g., adeF). In addition, microbial richness was determined to be the decisive factor affecting the diversity and abundance of ARGs in wastewater treatment processes. Overall, regulating the abundance of microorganisms and key host bacteria by selecting processes with microbial interception, such as MBR process, may be beneficial to control the prevalence of ARGs in WWTPs. | 2023 | 37356328 |
| 6869 | 13 | 0.9989 | Contaminant-degrading bacteria are super carriers of antibiotic resistance genes in municipal landfills: A metagenomics-based study. Municipal landfills are hotspot sources of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and are also important habitats of contaminant-degrading bacteria. However, high diversity of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in landfills hinders assessing AMR risks in the affected environment. More concerned, whether there is co-selection or enrichment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and contaminant-degrading bacteria in these extremely polluted environments is far less understood. Here, we collected metagenomic datasets of 32 raw leachate and 45 solid waste samples in 22 municipal landfills of China. The antibiotic resistome, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and contaminant-degrading bacteria were explored, and were then compared with other environmental types. Results showed that the antibiotic resistome in landfills contained 1,403 ARG subtypes, with the total abundance over the levels in natural environments and reaching the levels in human feces and sewage. Therein, 49 subtypes were listed as top priority ARGs for future surveillance based on the criteria of enrichment in landfills, mobilizable and present in pathogens. By comparing to those in less contaminated river environments, we elucidated an enrichment of antibiotic-resistant bacteria with contaminant-degrading potentials in landfills. Bacteria in Pseudomonadaceae, Moraxellaceae, Xanthomonadaceae and Enterobacteriaceae deserved the most concerns since 72.2 % of ARG hosts were classified to them. Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter nosocomialis and Escherichia coli were abundant multidrug-resistant pathogenic species in raw leachate (∼10.2 % of total microbiomes), but they rarely carried contaminant-degradation genes. Notably, several bacterial genera belonging to Pseudomonadaceae had the most antibiotic-resistant, pathogenic, and contaminant-degrading potentials than other bacteria. Overall, the findings highlight environmental selection for contaminant-degrading antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and provide significant insights into AMR risks in municipal landfills. | 2025 | 39729867 |
| 3177 | 14 | 0.9989 | Metagenomic investigation of antibiotic resistance genes and resistant bacteria contamination in pharmaceutical plant sites in China. Pharmaceutical plant sites play a significant role in the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) into the environment. It is imperative to comprehensively monitor of ARGs across various environmental media at these sites. This study focused on three pharmaceutical plants, two located in North China and one in South China. Through metagenomic approaches, we examined the composition, mobility potential, and bacterial hosts of ARGs in diverse media such as process water, groundwater, topsoil, soil cores, and pharmaceutical fermentation residues across diverse environmental matrices, including topsoil, soil cores, process water, groundwater, and pharmaceutical fermentation residues. We identified a wide array of ARGs, comprising 21 types and 740 subtypes, with process water exhibiting the highest abundance and diversity. Treatment processes varied in their efficacy in eliminating ARGs, and the clinically relevant ARGs should also be considered when evaluating wastewater treatment plant efficiency. Geographical distinctions in groundwater ARG distribution between northern and southern regions were observed. Soil samples from the three sites showed minimal impact from pharmaceutical activity, with vancomycin-resistance genes being the most prevalent. High levels of ARGs in pharmaceutical fermentation residues underscore the necessity for improved waste management practices. Metagenomic assembly revealed that plasmid-mediated ARGs were more abundant than chromosome-mediated ARGs. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) analysis identified 166 MAGs, with 62 harboring multiple ARGs. Certain bacteria tended to carry specific types of ARGs, revealing distinct host-resistance associations. This study enhances our understanding of ARG dissemination across different environmental media within pharmaceutical plants and underscores the importance of implementing strict regulations for effluent and residue discharge to control ARG spread. | 2024 | 38960118 |
| 6829 | 15 | 0.9989 | Metagenomic insights into the characteristics and co-migration of antibiotic resistome and metal(loid) resistance genes in urban landfill soil and groundwater. The heavy metals and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in landfills showed a significant correlation; however, the relationship between metal(loid) resistance genes (MRGs) and ARGs in contaminated environments, as well as whether they co-migrate with human pathogenic bacteria (HPB), remains unclear. This study is the first to report the characteristics and co-migration of ARGs and MRGs in the soil and groundwater of aged urban landfill sites. Our findings indicated that quinolone, efflux, and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin represented the most abundant ARGs identified. Notably, ARG abundance was higher in groundwater compared to soil, with subtype diversity reflecting a similar trend; however, microbial diversity in soil was greater. Metagenome-assembled genomes data indicated a higher risk of antibiotic-resistant HPB in groundwater. It is imperative to focus on HPB that co-carry ARGs and MRGs alongside mobile genetic elements (MGEs), such as Ralstonia pickettii and Pseudomonas stutzeri. Genes conferring resistance to copper and mercury, as well as MGEs such as qacEdelta and intI1, played a critical role in promoting horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance. MRG may promote ARG migration by affecting the permeability of the cell membrane. Procrustes analysis revealed a strong similarity (87 %) between heavy metals and MRG structures. Variance partitioning analyses demonstrated that both heavy metals and biological factors jointly governed landfill ARGs (96.2 %), exerting a more substantial influence in groundwater than in soil. This study serves as a reference for managing landfill, while emphasizing the importance of addressing the co-migration of MRGs and ARGs in pathogens when controlling the spread of risks. | 2025 | 40614847 |
| 6868 | 16 | 0.9989 | Rare resistome rather than core resistome exhibited higher diversity and risk along the Yangtze River. As important freshwater ecosystems, the occurrence and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in rivers are relevant to public health. However, studies investigating ARGs of different environmental media in river ecosystems are limited. In this study, we analyzed the ARGs of microbes in free-living setting, particle-associated setting, sediment and bank soil of the Yangtze River using metagenomics. Twenty-six ARGs were found in all samples regardless of media (core resistome) with a diversity of 8.6 %-34.7 %, accounting for 22.7 %-89.2 % of the relative abundance of the overall ARGs. The core resistome of the Yangtze River was dominated by multidrug resistance genes consisting mainly of efflux pumps and bacitracin resistance genes. The rare resistome was dominated by multidrug, sulfonamide, and aminoglycoside resistance genes. The core resistome was more prevalent in chromosomes, implying that these ARGs with low diversity and high relative abundance may be intrinsic to microbes in the Yangtze River. The rare resistome was more prevalent in plasmids, suggesting these ARGs with high diversity and low relative abundance were acquired under environmental stresses and had transfer potential. Additionally, we found that core and rare resistome were mainly carried by specific bacteria. Noteworthily, twenty-two ARGs of high clinical concern were identified in rare resistome, especially aac(6')-I, sul1, and tetM, which were plasmid-borne and hosted by clinically relevant pathogens. Both core and rare resistome hosts showed the highest niche breadths in particle-associated setting compared to other media, and particle-associated setting could provide more stable and ideal conditions for resistome hosts to survive. This study elucidated the genetic locations of ARGs and the community assembly mechanisms of ARG hosts in freshwater environments. | 2024 | 38039820 |
| 6872 | 17 | 0.9989 | Insight into co-hosts of nitrate reduction genes and antibiotic resistance genes in an urban river of the qinghai-tibet plateau. Microbial co-hosts of nitrate reduction genes (NRGs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have been recently reported, but their ecology and biochemical role in urban waterways remain largely unknown. Here, we collected 29 surface water and 29 sediment samples in the Huangshui River on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau during the wet and dry season, and 11 water samples from wastewater treatment plants and wetlands along the river. Using metagenomic sequencing, we retrieved 278 medium-to-high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of NRG-ARG co-hosts, mainly belonging to the phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, and Bacteroidota. Of microorganisms carrying ARGs, a high proportion (75.3%‒94.9%) also encoded NRGs, supporting nitrate reducing bacteria as dominant hosts of ARGs. Seasonal changes in antibiotic levels corresponded to significant variation in the relative abundance of NRG-ARG co-host in both water and sediments, resulting in a concomitant change in antibiotic resistance pathways. In contrast, the contribution of NRG-ARG co-hosts to nitrate reduction was stable between seasons. We identify specific antibiotics (e.g., sulphonamides) and microbial taxa (e.g., Acinetobacter and Hafnia) that may disproportionately impact these relationships to serve as a basis for laboratory investigations into bioremediation strategies. Our study suggests that highly abundant nitrate reducing microorganisms in contaminated environments may also directly impact human health as carriers of antibiotic resistance. | 2022 | 36215840 |
| 6852 | 18 | 0.9989 | Distribution and co-occurrence patterns of antibiotic resistance genes in black soils in Northeast China. Black soils (Mollisols) are among the most important soil resources for crop production and food security. In China, they are mainly distributed in the northeastern region. To investigate soil antibiotic resistance distribution patterns and monitor soil quality, we randomly chose nine corn fields in Northeast China and analyzed the antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) distribution and co-occurrence patterns on the basis of high-throughput approaches and network analyses. High genetic diversity (136 unique genes) and low ARG abundances (10(-5)-10(-2) copies/16S rRNA gene copy) were detected, with relatively few interactions among ARGs. Type I integron genes were prevalent in the soil and were positively correlated with ARGs, which may increase the risk of ARG transmission. Most ARGs were strongly associated with microorganisms. Moreover, several ARGs were significantly correlated with antibiotics, nutrients, and metal elements. The generation and dissemination of ARGs, which were most likely mediated by mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and bacteria, were affected by environmental conditions. These results provide insights into the widespread co-occurrence patterns in soil resistomes. | 2022 | 35809539 |
| 7016 | 19 | 0.9989 | Metagenomic analysis reveals wastewater treatment plants as hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes and mobile genetic elements. The intensive use of antibiotics results in their continuous release into the environment and the subsequent widespread occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB), antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). This study used Illumina high-throughput sequencing to investigate the broad-spectrum profiles of both ARGs and MGEs in activated sludge and anaerobically digested sludge from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant. A pipeline for identifying antibiotic resistance determinants was developed that consisted of four categories: gene transfer potential, ARG potential, ARGs pathway and ARGs phylogenetic origin. The metagenomic analysis showed that the activated sludge and the digested sludge exhibited different microbial communities and changes in the types and occurrence of ARGs and MGEs. In total, 42 ARGs subtypes were identified in the activated sludge, while 51 ARG subtypes were detected in the digested sludge. Additionally, MGEs including plasmids, transposons, integrons (intI1) and insertion sequences (e.g. ISSsp4, ISMsa21 and ISMba16) were abundant in the two sludge samples. The co-occurrence pattern between ARGs and microbial taxa revealed by network analysis indicated that some environmental bacteria (e.g. Clostridium and Nitrosomonas) might be potential hosts of multiple ARGs. The findings increase our understanding of WWTPs as hotspots of ARGs and MGEs, and contribute towards preventing their release into the downstream environment. | 2017 | 28689130 |