# | Rank | Similarity | Title + Abs. | Year | PMID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 8123 | 0 | 0.9357 | The effect of bulk-biochar and nano-biochar amendment on the removal of antibiotic resistance genes in microplastic contaminated soil. Biochar amendment has significant benefits in removing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the soil. Nevertheless, there is little information on ARGs removal in microplastic contaminated soil. Herein, a 42-day soil microcosm experiment were carried out to study how two coconut shell biochars (bulk- and nano-size) eliminate soil ARGs with/without microplastic presence. The results showed that microplastic increased significantly the numbers and abundances of ARGs in soil at 14d of cultivation. And, two biochars amendment effectively inhibited soil ARGs spread whether or not microplastic was present, especially for nano-biochar which had more effective removal compared to bulk-biochar. However, microplastic weakened soil ARGs removal after applying same biochar. Two biochars removed ARGs through decreasing horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs, potential host-bacteria abundances, some bacteria crowding the eco-niche of hosts and promoting soil properties. The adverse effect of microplastic on ARGs removal was mainly caused by weakening mobile genetic elements (MGEs) removal, and by changing soil properties. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis indicated that biochar's effect on ARGs profile was changed by its size and microplastic presence through altering MGEs abundances. These results highlight that biochar amendment is still an effective method for ARGs removal in microplastic contaminated soil. | 2024 | 37907163 |
| 7873 | 1 | 0.9356 | Wheat straw pyrochar more efficiently decreased enantioselective uptake of dinotefuran by lettuce and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes than hydrochar in an agricultural soil. Remediation of soils pollution caused by dinotefuran, a chiral pesticide, is indispensable for ensuring human food security. In comparison with pyrochar, the effect of hydrochar on enantioselective fate of dinotefuran, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) profiles in the contaminated soils remain poorly understood. Therefore, wheat straw hydrochar (SHC) and pyrochar (SPC) were prepared at 220 and 500 °C, respectively, to investigate their effects and underlying mechanisms on enantioselective fate of dinotefuran enantiomers and metabolites, and soil ARG abundance in soil-plant ecosystems using a 30-day pot experiment planted with lettuce. SPC showed a greater reduction effect on the accumulation of R- and S-dinotefuran and metabolites in lettuce shoots than SHC. This was mainly resulted from the lowered soil bioavailability of R- and S-dinotefuran due to adsorption/immobilization by chars, together with the char-enhanced pesticide-degrading bacteria resulted from increased soil pH and organic matter content. Both SPC and SHC efficiently reduced ARG levels in soils, owing to lowered abundance of ARG-carrying bacteria and declined horizontal gene transfer induced by decreased dinotefuran bioavailability. The above results provide new insights for optimizing char-based sustainable technologies to mitigate pollution of dinotefuran and spread of ARGs in agroecosystems. | 2023 | 36996986 |
| 7940 | 2 | 0.9356 | Microplastics affect the ammonia oxidation performance of aerobic granular sludge and enrich the intracellular and extracellular antibiotic resistance genes. Microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), as emerging pollutants, are frequently detected in wastewater treatment plants, and their threats to the environment have received extensive attentions. However, the effects of MPs on the nitrification of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) and the spread patterns of intracellular and extracellular ARGs (iARGs and eARGs) in AGS were still unknown. In this study, the responses of AGS to the exposure of 1, 10 and 100 mg/L of typical MPs (polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyamide (PA), polystyrene (PS) and polyethylene (PE)) and tetracycline were focused on in 3 L nitrifying sequencing batch reactors. 10 mg/L MPs decreased the nitrification function, but nitrification could recover. Furthermore, MPs inhibited ammonia-oxidizing bacteria and enriched nitrite-oxidizing bacteria, leading partial nitrification to losing stability. PVC, PA and PS stimulated the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances and reactive oxygen species. PE had less negative effect on AGS than PVC, PA and PS. The abundances of iARGs and eARGs (tetW, tetE and intI1) increased significantly and the intracellular and extracellular microbial communities obviously shifted in AGS system under MPs stress. Potential pathogenic bacteria might be the common hosts of iARGs and eARGs in AGS system and were enriched in AGS and MPs biofilms. | 2021 | 33387747 |
| 8581 | 3 | 0.9354 | Tire particles and its leachates: Impact on antibiotic resistance genes in coastal sediments. Tire particles (TPs), a significant group of microplastics, can be discharged into the coastal environments in various ways. However, our understanding of how TPs impact the antibiotic resistance and pathogenic risks of microorganisms in coastal sediments remains limited. In this study, we used metagenomics to investigate how TPs and their leachates could affect the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), virulence factor genes (VFGs), and their potential risks to the living creatures such as soil invertebrates and microorganisms in the coastal sediments. We discovered that TP addition significantly increased the abundance and diversity of ARGs and VFGs in coastal sediments, with raw TPs displayed higher impacts than TP leachates and TPs after leaching on ARGs and VFGs. With increasing TP exposure concentrations, the co-occurrence frequency of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in the same contig also increased, suggesting that TPs could enhance the dispersal risk of ARGs. Our metagenome-based binning analysis further revealed that exposure to TPs increased the abundance of potentially pathogenic antibiotic-resistant bacteria (PARB). In addition, chemical additives of TP leachates (e.g., Zn and N-cyclohexylformamide) significantly affected the changes of ARGs in the pore water. In summary, our study provides novel insights into the adverse effects of TP pollutions on aggravating the dissemination and pathogenic risks of ARGs and PARB in the coastal environment. | 2024 | 38147751 |
| 7926 | 4 | 0.9354 | Microplastics Exacerbated Conjugative Transfer of Antibiotic Resistance Genes during Ultraviolet Disinfection: Highlighting Difference between Conventional and Biodegradable Ones. Microplastics (MPs) have been confirmed as a hotspot for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater. However, the impact of MPs on the transfer of ARGs in wastewater treatment remains unclear. This study investigated the roles and mechanisms of conventional (polystyrene, PS) and biodegradable (polylactic acid, PLA) MPs in the conjugative transfer of ARGs during ultraviolet disinfection. The results showed that MPs significantly facilitated the conjugative transfer of ARGs compared with individual ultraviolet disinfection, and PSMPs exhibited higher facilitation than PLAMPs. The facilitation effects were attributed to light shielding and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nanoplastics from ultraviolet irradiation of MPs. The light shielding of MPs protected the bacteria and ARGs from ultraviolet inactivation. More importantly, ROS and nanoplastics generated from irradiated MPs induced intracellular oxidative stress on bacteria and further increased the cell membrane permeability and intercellular contact, ultimately enhancing the ARG exchange. The greater fragmentation of PSMPs than PLAMPs resulted in a higher intracellular oxidative stress and a stronger enhancement. This study highlights the concerns of conventional and biodegradable MPs associated with the transfer of ARGs during wastewater treatment, which provides new insights into the combined risks of MPs and ARGs in the environment. | 2025 | 39723446 |
| 7525 | 5 | 0.9349 | Tire wear particles enhance horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in aquatic ecosystems. Microplastics (MPs) have introduced new surfaces for biofilm development and gene exchange among bacteria. We investigated Tire Wear Particles (TWPs) for their involvement in horizontal gene transfer (HGT), particularly in relation to associated metals in the matrices of TWPs. We employed red-fluorescently tagged E. coli strain as a donor with green-fluorescently tagged, broad-host-range plasmid pKJK5, resistant to trimethoprim. As a recipient, we utilized Pseudomonas sp. and a natural lake microbial community. HGT activity on TWPs was determined and compared with that on polystyrene (PS) (with and without metals), and chitosan, which was used as a natural surface. Exposure to TWPs significantly enhanced HGT frequency of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) from donor to recipient compared to PS and chitosan, and metals of TWPs further promoted HGT. HGT frequency on TWPs with Pseudomonas sp. was found to be 10(-3) at 30 °C. in the lake community, it was similarly high already at 25 °C suggesting a higher permissiveness of the natural microbial community towards ARG at lower temperatures. This study sheds light on the potential impact of TWPs in promoting HGT, forming the basis for health risk assessments of TWPs and more generally of MP pollution in various aquatic ecosystems. | 2024 | 39426452 |
| 8126 | 6 | 0.9347 | Antiallergic drugs drive the alteration of microbial community and antibiotic resistome in surface waters: A metagenomic perspective. Antiallergic drugs (AADs) are emerging contaminants of global concern due to their environmental persistence and potential ecological impacts. This study investigated the effects of seven AADs (chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, cetirizine, loratadine, desloratadine, sodium cromoglicate and calcium gluconate) at environmentally relevant concentrations on antibiotic resistome and bacterial community structures in water using microcosm experiments and metagenomic sequencing. The results showed that AADs increased the abundance of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) by 1.24- to 7.78-fold. Community structure shifts indicated that chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, and cetirizine promoted Actinobacteria (e.g., Aurantimicrobium), while the other four AADs favored Proteobacteria (e.g., Limnohabitans). AADs also significantly altered the relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), with Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria identified as key ARB components and potential hosts of ARGs (e.g., evgS, mtrA, RanA). Host analysis showed ARGs were primarily carried by Actinobacteria (e.g., Aurantimicrobium) under chlorpheniramine, diphenhydramine, and cetirizine exposure, but by Proteobacteria (e.g., Limnohabitans) under the other four AADs. Furthermore, AADs facilitated the horizontal transfer of ARGs (e.g., evgS) within microbial communities, contributing to antibiotic resistance dissemination. This study highlights the ecological risks of AADs in promoting antibiotic resistance spread and provides new insights into their impact on microbial communities and resistome dynamics in aquatic environments. | 2025 | 40570627 |
| 6932 | 7 | 0.9347 | Distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in soil amended using Azolla imbricata and its driving mechanisms. The floating aquatic plant of Azolla imbricata has an outstanding purification capability for polluted river water, and it is also employed to improve soil fertility. However, the occurrence and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil amended using A.imbricata remain unclear. In the soil amendment with A. imbricata, heavy metals, antibiotics, transposase genes, ARGs, and bacterial communities in the soil were determined in this study. The results indicated that the diversity of bacteria and ARGs increased, while the diversity of ARGs decreased under the amendment using an appropriate amount of A. imbricata. The Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Cyanobacteria were the main host bacteria of ARGs. The vertical gene transfer of ARGs was weak, and the horizontal gene transfer became the dominant transfer pathway of ARGs. The amendment with A. imbricata altered the distribution of heavy metals, antibiotics, transposase genes, ARGs, and dominant bacteria. The amendment using A. imbricata promoted the degradation of antibiotics, decreased the concentrations of available heavy metals, and eliminated the abundance of ARGs and transposase genes. Our findings suggested a comprehensive effect of multiple stresses on the fate of ARGs in soil amended with A. imbricata, providing an insight into the distribution and propagation of ARGs in soil amended using plant residues. | 2019 | 31351286 |
| 8117 | 8 | 0.9347 | Composting of oxytetracycline fermentation residue in combination with hydrothermal pretreatment for reducing antibiotic resistance genes enrichment. Hydrothermal pretreatment can efficiently remove the residual antibiotics in oxytetracycline fermentation residue (OFR), but its effect on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during composting remains unclear. This study compared the shifts in bacterial community and evolutions in ARGs and integrons during different composting processes of OFRs with and without hydrothermal pretreatment. The results demonstrated that hydrothermal pretreatment increased the bacterial alpha diversity at the initial phase, and increased the relative abundances of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria but decreased that of Bacteroidetes at the final phase by inactivating mycelia and removing residual oxytetracycline. Composting process inevitably elevated the abundance and relative abundance of ARGs. However, the increase in ARGs was significantly reduced by hydrothermal pretreatment, because the removal of oxytetracycline decreased their potential host bacteria and inhibited their horizontal gene transfer. The results demonstrated that hydrothermal pretreatment is an efficient strategy to reduce the enrichment of ARGs during the OFR composting. | 2020 | 33099099 |
| 7928 | 9 | 0.9347 | Insight into the responses of antibiotic resistance genes in microplastic biofilms to zinc oxide nanoparticles and zinc ions pressures in landfill leachate. Microplastic (MP) biofilms are hotspots of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in landfill environment. MP biofilms in landfill leachate coexist with heavy metals and metallic nanoparticles (NPs) that considered to be the selective agents of ARGs. However, the effects of these selective pressures on ARGs in MP biofilms and their differences in MP-surrounding leachate have not been well understood. Herein, the changes of ARG abundances in MP biofilms and corresponding leachate under zinc oxide (ZnO) NPs and zinc ion (Zn(2+)) pressures were comparatively analyzed. The presence of ZnO NPs and Zn(2+) promoted the enrichment of ARGs in MP biofilms, and the enrichment was more pronounced in ZnO NPs groups. ZnO NPs and especially Zn(2+) mainly decreased the abundances of ARGs in leachate. The increase of integron abundances and reactive oxygen species production in MP biofilms implied the enhanced potential for horizontal transfer of ARGs under ZnO NPs and Zn(2+) pressures. Meanwhile, the co-occurrence pattern between ARGs and bacterial genera in MP biofilms with more diverse potential ARG hosts was more complex than in leachate, and the enrichment of ARG-hosting bacteria in MP biofilms under ZnO NPs and Zn(2+) pressures supported the enrichment of ARGs. | 2023 | 37480611 |
| 8119 | 10 | 0.9346 | Biochar-amended composting of lincomycin fermentation dregs promoted microbial metabolism and reduced antibiotic resistance genes. Improper disposal of antibiotic fermentation dregs poses a risk of releasing antibiotics and antibiotic resistant bacteria to the environment. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of biochar addition to lincomycin fermentation dregs (LFDs) composting. Biochar increased compost temperature and enhanced organic matter decomposition and residual antibiotics removal. Moreover, a 1.5- to 17.0-fold reduction in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) was observed. Adding biochar also reduced the abundances of persistent ARGs hosts (e.g., Streptomyces, Pseudomonas) and ARG-related metabolic pathways and genes (e.g., ATP-binding cassette type-2 transport, signal transduction and multidrug efflux pump genes). By contrast, compost decomposition improved due to enhanced metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids. Overall, adding biochar into LFDs compost reduced the proliferation of ARGs and enhanced microbial community metabolism. These results demonstrate that adding biochar to LFDs compost is a simple and efficient way to decrease risks associated with LFDs composting. | 2023 | 36334868 |
| 8111 | 11 | 0.9345 | Effect of alkaline-thermal pretreatment on biodegradable plastics degradation and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in co-compost system. Biodegradable plastics (BDPs) are an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics in organic waste, but their microbial degradation and impact on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transmission during co-composting remain poorly understood. This study examines how alkaline-thermal pretreatment enhances BDPs degradation and influences the fate of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) in co-composting. Pretreatment with 0.1 mol/L NaOH at 100℃ for 40 minutes increased the surface roughness and hydrophilicity of BDPs while reducing their molecular weight and thermal stability. Incorporating pretreated BDPs film (8 g/kg-TS) into the compost reduced the molecular weight of the BDPs by 59.70 % during the maturation stage, facilitating compost heating and prolonging the thermophilic stage. However, incomplete degradation of BDPs releases numerous smaller-sized microplastics, which can act as carriers for microorganisms, facilitating the dissemination of ARGs across environments and posing significant ecological and public health risks. Metagenomic analysis revealed that pretreatment enriched plastic-degrading bacteria, such as Thermobifida fusca, on BDPs surfaces and accelerated microbial plastic degradation during the thermophilic stage, but also increased ARGs abundance. Although pretreatment significantly reduced MGEs abundance (tnpA, IS19), the risk of ARGs dissemination remained. Three plastic-degrading bacteria (Pigmentiphaga sp002188465, Bacillus clausii, and Bacillus altitudinis) were identified as ARGs hosts, underscoring the need to address the risk of horizontal gene transfer of ARGs associated with pretreatment in organic waste management. | 2025 | 39970645 |
| 8120 | 12 | 0.9344 | Insight into the fate of antibiotic resistance genes and bacterial community in co-composting green tea residues with swine manure. Green tea residues (GTRs) are byproducts of tea production and processing, and this type of agricultural waste retains nutritious components. This study investigated the co-composting of GTRs with swine manure, as well as the effects of GTRs on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and the bacterial community during co-composting. The temperature and C/N ratio indicate compost was mature after processing. The addition of GTRs effectively promoted the reduction in the abundances of most targeted ARGs (tet and sul genes), mobile genetic element (MGE; intI1), and metal resistance genes (MRGs; pcoA and tcrB). Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that GTRs can reduce the abundance of MRGs and ARGs by reducing the bioavailability of heavy metals. Network analysis shows that Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were the main hosts of ARGs and ARGs, MGEs, and MRGs shared the same potential host bacteria. Adding GTRs during composting may reduce ARGs transmission through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). GTRs affected the bacterial community, thereby influencing the variations in the ARG profiles and reducing the potential risk associated with the compost product. | 2020 | 32310121 |
| 7942 | 13 | 0.9344 | Insight into effects of polyethylene microplastics in anaerobic digestion systems of waste activated sludge: Interactions of digestion performance, microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes. The environmental risks of microplastics (MPs) have raised an increasing concern. However, the effects of MPs in anaerobic digestion (AD) systems of waste activated sludge (WAS), especially on the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), have not been clearly understood. Herein, the variation and interaction of digestion performance, microbial communities and ARGs during AD process of WAS in the presence of polyethylene (PE) MPs with two sizes, PE MPs-180μm and PE MPs-1mm, were investigated. The results showed that the presence of PE MPs, especially PE MPs-1mm, led to the increased hydrolysis of soluble polysaccharides and proteins and the accumulation of volatile fatty acids. The methane production decreased by 6.1% and 13.8% in the presence of PE MPs-180μm and PE MPs-1mm, respectively. Together with this process, hydrolytic bacteria and acidogens were enriched, and methanogens participating in acetoclastic methanogenesis were reduced. Meanwhile, ARGs were enriched obviously by the presence of PE MPs, the abundances of which in PE MPs-180μm and PE MPs-1mm groups were 1.2-3.0 times and 1.5-4.0 times higher than that in the control by the end of AD. That was associated with different co-occurrence patterns between ARGs and bacterial taxa and the enrichment of ARG-hosting bacteria caused by the presence of PE MPs. Together these results suggested the adverse effects of PE MPs on performance and ARGs removal during AD process of WAS through inducing the changes of microbial populations. | 2022 | 35944782 |
| 8124 | 14 | 0.9344 | Effect of graphene and graphene oxide on antibiotic resistance genes during copper-contained swine manure anaerobic digestion. Copper is an important selectors for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transfer because of metal-antibiotic cross-resistance and/or coresistance. Due to carbon-based materials' good adsorption capacity for heavy metals, graphene and graphene oxide have great potential to reduce ARGs abundance in the environment with copper pollution. To figure out the mechanics, this study investigated the effects of graphene and graphene oxide on the succession of ARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), heavy metal resistance genes (HMRGs), and bacterial communities during copper-contained swine manure anaerobic digestion. Results showed that graphene and graphene oxide could reduce ARGs abundance in varying degrees with the anaerobic reactors that contained a higher concentration of copper. Nevertheless, graphene decreased the abundance of ARGs more effectively than graphene oxide. Phylum-level bacteria such as Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, and Verrucomicrobiaat were significantly positively correlated with most ARGs. Network and redundancy analyses demonstrated that alterations in the bacterial community are one of the main factors leading to the changes in ARGs. Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Spirochaetes were enriched lower in graphene reactor than graphene oxide in anaerobic digestion products, which may be the main reason that graphene is superior to graphene oxide in reduced ARGs abundance. Additionally, ARGs were close to HMRGs than MGEs in the treatments with graphene, the opposite in graphene oxide reactors. Therefore, we speculate that the reduction of HMRGs in graphene may contribute to the result that graphene is superior to graphene oxide in reduced ARGs abundance in anaerobic digestion. | 2023 | 36394812 |
| 6934 | 15 | 0.9343 | Impact of protist predation on bacterial community traits in river sediments. Sediment-associated microbial communities are pivotal in driving biogeochemical processes and serve as key indicators of ecosystem health and function. However, the ecological impact of protist predation on these microbial communities remains poorly understood. Here, sediment microcosms were established with varying concentrations of indigenous protists. Results revealed that protist predation exerted strong and differential effects on the bacterial community composition, functional capabilities, and antibiotic resistance profiles. Higher levels of protist predation pressure increased bacterial alpha diversity and relative abundance of genera associated with carbon and nitrogen cycling, such as Fusibacter, Methyloversatilis, Azospirillum, and Holophaga. KEGG analysis indicated that protist predation stimulated microbial processes related to the carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur cycles. Notably, the relative abundance and associated health risks of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), virulence factor genes (VFGs), and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) were affected by predation pressure. Medium protist predation pressure increased the relative abundance and potential risks associated with ARGs, whereas high protist concentrations led to a reduction in both, likely due to a decrease in the relative abundance of ARG-hosting pathogenic bacteria such as Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Aeromonas. These findings provide comprehensive insights into the dynamics of bacterial communities under protist predation in river sediment ecosystems. | 2025 | 40885182 |
| 7927 | 16 | 0.9342 | Different microplastics distinctively enriched the antibiotic resistance genes in anaerobic sludge digestion through shifting specific hosts and promoting horizontal gene flow. Both microplastics (MPs) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are intensively detected in waste activated sludge (WAS). However, the distinctive impacts of different MPs on ARGs emergence, dissemination, and its potential mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, long-term semi-continuous digesters were performed to examine the profiles of ARGs and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) in response to two different typical MPs (polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC)) in anaerobic sludge digestion. Metagenomic results show that PE- and PVC-MPs increase ARGs abundance by 14.8% and 23.6% in digester, respectively. ARB are also enriched by PE- and PVC-MPs, Acinetobacter sp. and Salmonella sp. are the dominant ARB. Further exploration reveals that PVC-MPs stimulates the acquisition of ARGs by human pathogen bacteria (HPB) and functional microorganisms (FMs), but PE-MPs doesn't. Network analysis shows that more ARGs tend to co-occur with HBP and FMs after MPs exposure, and more importantly, new bacteria are observed to acquire ARGs possibly via horizontal gene flow (HGF) in MPs-stressed digester. The genes involved in the HGF process, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cell membrane permeability, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secretion, and ATP synthesis, are also enhanced by MPs, thereby attributing to the promoted ARGs dissemination. These findings offer advanced insights into the distinctive contribution of MPs to fate, host, dissemination of ARGs in anaerobic sludge digestion. | 2023 | 36423550 |
| 6938 | 17 | 0.9342 | Assessment of the Effects of Biodegradable and Nonbiodegradable Microplastics Combined with Pesticides on the Soil Microbiota. Microplastics (MPs) and pesticides pose significant threats to the health of soil ecosystems. This study investigated the individual and combined effects of biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) and nonbiodegradable polyethylene terephthalate (PET) microplastics alongside glyphosate and imidacloprid pesticides on soil microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) via microcosm experiments. Compared with the control, PLA significantly increased microbial alpha diversity and enhanced microbial functions related to environmental information processing and metabolism. However, PLA also selectively enriched populations of beneficial and potentially pathogenic bacteria, whereas PET had comparatively weaker effects. Crucially, PLA exposure resulted in substantially higher total abundance and ecological risk levels of soil ARGs than did PET. Coexposure with pesticides further amplified these effects, with PLA demonstrating notable synergistic interactions with both glyphosate and imidacloprid. These findings challenge the conventional assumption that biodegradable MPs such as PLA are environmentally safer than nonbiodegradable MPs, thus highlighting their potential to induce more complex and potentially severe ecological risks under co-contamination scenarios with pesticides. | 2025 | 41175058 |
| 6909 | 18 | 0.9341 | Effect of meddling ARBs on ARGs dynamics in fungal infested soil and their selective dispersal along spatially distant mycelial networks. During the recent times, environmental antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and their potential transfer to other bacterial hosts of pathogenic importance are of serious concern. However, the dissemination strategies of such ARGs are largely unknown. We tested that saprotrophic soil fungi differentially enriched antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARBs) and subsequently contributed in spatial distribution of selective ARGs. Wafergen qPCR analysis of 295 different ARGs was conducted for manure treated pre-sterilized soil incubated or not with selected bacterial-fungal consortia. The qPCR assay detected unique ARGs specifically found in the mycosphere of ascomycetous and basidiomycetous fungi. Both fungi exerted potentially different selection pressures on ARBs, resulting in different patterns of ARGs dissemination (to distant places) along their respective growing fungal highways. The relative abundance of mobile genetic elements (MGEs) was significantly decreased along fungal highways compared to the respective inoculation points. Moreover, the decrease in MGEs and ARGs (along fungal highways) was more prominent over time which depicts the continuous selection pressure of growing fungi on ARBs for enrichment of particular ARGs in mycosphere. Such data also indicate the potential role of saprotrophic soil fungi to facilitate horizontal gene transfer within mycospheric environmental settings. Our study, therefore, advocates to emphasize the future investigations for such (bacteria-fungal) interactive microbial consortia for potential (spatial) dissemination of resistance determinants which may ultimately increase the exposure risks of ARGs. | 2024 | 38992349 |
| 8105 | 19 | 0.9339 | Refluxing mature compost to replace bulking agents: A low-cost solution for suppressing antibiotic resistance genes rebound in sewage sludge composting. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) rebounding during composting cooling phase is a critical bottleneck in composting technology that increased ARGs dissemination and application risk of compost products. In this study, mature compost (MR) was used as a substitute for rice husk (RH) to mitigate the rebound of ARGs and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) during the cooling phase of sewage sludge composting, and the relationship among ARGs, MGEs, bacterial community and environmental factors was investigated to explore the key factor influencing ARGs rebound. The results showed that aadD, blaCTX-M02, ermF, ermB, tetX and vanHB significantly increased 4.76-32.41 times, and the MGEs rebounded by 38.60% in the cooling phase of RH composting. Conversely, MR reduced aadD, tetM, ermF and ermB concentrations by 59.49-98.58%, and reduced the total abundance of ARGs in the compost product by 49.32% compared to RH, which significantly restrained ARGs rebound. MR promoted secondary high temperature inactivation of potential host bacteria, including Ornithinibacter, Rhizobiales and Caldicoprobacter, which could harbor aadE, blaCTX-M02, and blaVEB. It also reduced the abundance of lignocellulose degrading bacteria of Firmicutes, which were potential hosts of aadD, tetX, ermF and vanHB. Moreover, MR reduced moisture and increased oxidation reduction potential (ORP) that promoted aadE, tetQ, tetW abatement. Furthermore, MR reduced 97.36% of total MGEs including Tn916/1545, IS613, Tp614 and intI3, which alleviated ARGs horizontal transfer. Overall finding proposed mature compost reflux as bulking agent was a simple method to suppress ARGs rebound and horizontal transfer, improve ARGs removal and reduce composting plant cost. | 2025 | 39798649 |