Antibiotic resistance genes show enhanced mobilization through suspended growth and biofilm-based wastewater treatment processes

Petrovich, Morgan; Chu, Binh; Wright, Donald J.; Griffin, James S.; Elfeki, Maryam; Murphy, Brian T.; Poretsky, Rachel; Wells, George F.

doi:10.1093/femsec/fiy041

Cited by 37 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Thus, a concentration effect within the system is a possible explanation for the presence of tetracycline-resistant bacteria in the treated water. In contrast, however, a recent study that compared abundances of ARGs in activated sludge and a trickling filter suggested that there is no difference in the prevalence of ARG mobilization in the treated effluents (Petrovich et al, 2018 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Greywater and Greywater-Irrigated Soils

et al. 2018

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This study represents the first systematic attempt to evaluate antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) occurrence in treated greywater and the potential spread of these bacteria from the greywater to greywater-irrigated soil. Treated greywater from three recirculating vertical flow constructed wetlands, each located in a household in the central Negev Desert, Israel, was surveyed. The presence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in raw and treated greywater was investigated with culture and molecular methods, as well as their presence in the corresponding treated-greywater-irrigated soils. Additionally, the effectiveness of chlorination to prevent the spread of ARB was tested. The total count of tetracycline-resistant bacteria significantly increased in the treated greywater, likely due to their concentration on the filter matrix of the treatment systems. Twenty-four strains of tetracycline-resistant bacteria were isolated and identified at the genus level by 16Sr RNA gene sequencing. All the tetracycline-resistant bacteria showed high resistance traits, and some of them presented multiple antibiotic resistances. Six tetracycline resistance genes (coding for efflux and ribosomal resistance mechanisms) and five β-lactamase genes were detected. In 14 of the isolated strains, the gene tet39, which is phylogenetically related to both environmental and clinical strains, was identified. All the tet39 resistant bacteria were positive to at least one of the β-lactamase genes tested. Chlorination was found to be an efficient method to reduce ARB in treated greywater. We concluded that disinfection of treated greywater may reduce the risks not only from the potential presence of pathogens but also from the presence of ARB and antibiotic resistance genes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Greywater and Greywater-Irrigated Soils

et al. 2018

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“…Such mobilization of ARGs persisting in a WWTP effluent biofilm was suggested to pose a risk of dissemination to receiving waterbodies as the relative abundance of ARGs associated with MGEs, which in system's effluent reached up to 82% (Petrovich et al . 2018 ) and differed based on the MGE type respect to river biofilms (Balcázar, Subirats and Borrego 2015 ). Numerous in vitro studies demonstrated that sub-inhibitory doses of some antibiotics are sufficient to specifically induce the switch from planktonic to biofilm forming phenotype of bacteria (Hoffman et al .…”

Section: Metagenomics To Address Environmental Amr Detectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge gaps in the assessment of antimicrobial resistance in surface waters

Niegowska

Sanseverino

Navarro

et al. 2021

FEMS Microbiology Ecology

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The spread of antibiotic resistance in the water environment has been widely described. However, still many knowledge gaps exist regarding the selection pressure from antibiotics, heavy metals and other substances present in surface waters as a result of anthropogenic activities, as well as the extent and impact of this phenomenon on aquatic organisms and humans. In particular, the relationship between environmental concentrations of antibiotics and the acquisition of ARGs by antibiotic-sensitive bacteria as well as the impact of heavy metals and other selective agents on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) need to be defined. Currently, established safety values are based on the effects of antibiotic toxicity neglecting the question of AMR spread. In turn, risk assessment of antibiotics in waterbodies remains a complex question implicating multiple variables and unknowns reinforced by the lack of harmonized protocols and official guidelines. In the present review, we discussed current state-of-the-art and the knowledge gaps related to pressure exerted by antibiotics and heavy metals on aquatic environments and their relationship to the spread of AMR. Along with this latter, we reflected on i) the risk assessment in surface waters, ii) selective pressures contributing to its transfer and propagation, and iii) the advantages of metagenomics in investigating AMR. Furthermore, the role of microplastics in co-selection for metal and antibiotic resistance, together with the need for more studies in freshwater are highlighted.

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“…Certain natural and anthropic environments could supply optimal conditions for natural transformation. An example are biofilms in which cell density is very high and cells can be exposed to high concentrations of free DNA (even higher than the ones routinely used in laboratory procedures) derived from the dead neighboring cells (Baur et al, 1996;Hasegawa et al, 2018); this condition can result in ARGs acquisition and spread in the bacterial communities, as characterized in several studies (Petrovich et al, 2018). Moreover, clinically relevant ARGs enter freshwater systems through the outflow of WWTPs (Zhang et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Environmental Escherichia coli Strain Is Naturally Competent to Acquire Exogenous DNA

Riva

Eckert

et al. 2020

Front. Microbiol.

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The diffusion of antibiotic resistance determinants in different environments, e.g., soil and water, has become a public concern for global health and food safety and many efforts are currently devoted to clarify this complex ecological and evolutionary issue. Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) has an important role in the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, among the different HGT mechanisms, the capacity of environmental bacteria to acquire naked exogenous DNA by natural competence is still poorly investigated. This study aimed to characterize the ability of the environmental Escherichia coli strain ED1, isolated from the crustacean Daphnia sp., to acquire exogenous DNA by natural competence. Transformation experiments were carried out varying different parameters, i.e., cell growth phase, amount of exogenous DNA and exposition to artificial lake water (ALW) and treated wastewater to mimic environmentallike conditions that may be encountered in the agri-food system. Results were compared with those showed by the laboratory E. coli strain DH5α. Our experimental data, supported by genomic sequencing, showed that, when exposed to pure water, ED1 strain was able to acquire exogenous DNA with frequencies (10 −8-10 −9) statistically higher than the ones observed for DH5α strain (10 −10). Interestingly, higher values were retrieved for ED1 than DH5α strains exposed to ALW (10 −7 vs. 10 −9 , respectively) or treated wastewater (10 −8 vs. 10 −10 , respectively). We tested, therefore, ED1 strain ability to colonize the rhizosphere of lettuce, a model plant representative of rawconsumed vegetables of high economic importance in the ready-to-eat food industry. Results showed that ED1 strain was able to efficiently colonize lettuce rhizosphere, revealing a stable colonization for 14 days-long period. In conclusion, ED1 strain ability to acquire exogenous DNA in environmental-like conditions by natural competence, combined with its ability to efficiently and stably colonize plant rhizosphere, poses the attention to food and human safety showing a possible route of diffusion of antibiotic resistance in the agri-food system, sustaining the "One Health" warnings related to the antibiotic spread.

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Antibiotic resistance genes show enhanced mobilization through suspended growth and biofilm-based wastewater treatment processes

Cited by 37 publications

References 61 publications

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Greywater and Greywater-Irrigated Soils

Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria in Greywater and Greywater-Irrigated Soils

Knowledge gaps in the assessment of antimicrobial resistance in surface waters

An Environmental Escherichia coli Strain Is Naturally Competent to Acquire Exogenous DNA

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