Drinking Water Microbiome Project: Is it Time?

Hull, Natalie M.; Ling, Fangqiong; Pinto, Ameet J.; Albertsen, Mads; Jang, Hyunju; Hong, Pei‐Ying; Konstantinidis, Konstantinos T.; LeChevallier, Mark W.; Colwell, Rita R.; Liu, Wen Tso

doi:10.1016/j.tim.2019.03.011

Cited by 50 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(37 reference statements)

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“…Thus, a major challenge is being able to measure the total microbial content of water accurately [21]. Traditionally, it has been assumed that indicator microorganisms provide adequate assurance for the microbial safety of water.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparative analysis of drinking water employing metagenomics

et al. 2020

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The microbiological content of drinking water traditionally is determined by employing culture-dependent methods that are unable to detect all microorganisms, especially those that are not culturable. High-throughput sequencing now makes it possible to determine the microbiome of drinking water. Thus, the natural microbiota of water and water distribution systems can now be determined more accurately and analyzed in significantly greater detail, providing comprehensive understanding of the microbial community of drinking water applicable to public health. In this study, shotgun metagenomic analysis was performed to determine the microbiological content of drinking water and to provide a preliminary assessment of tap, drinking fountain, sparkling natural mineral, and non-mineral bottled water. Predominant bacterial species detected were members of the phyla Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria, notably the genera Alishewanella, Salmonella, and Propionibacterium in non-carbonated non-mineral bottled water, Methyloversatilis and Methylibium in sparkling natural mineral water, and Mycobacterium and Afipia in tap and drinking fountain water. Fecal indicator bacteria, i.e., Escherichia coli or enterococci, were not detected in any samples examined in this study. Bacteriophages and DNA encoding a few virulence-associated factors were detected but determined to be present only at low abundance. Antibiotic resistance markers were detected only at abundance values below our threshold of confidence. DNA of opportunistic plant and animal pathogens was identified in some samples and these included bacteria (Mycobacterium spp.), protozoa (Acanthamoeba mauritaniensis and Acanthamoeba palestinensis), and fungi (Melampsora pinitorqua and Chryosporium queenslandicum). Archaeal DNA (Candidatus Nitrosoarchaeum) was detected only in sparkling natural mineral water. This preliminary study reports the complete microbiome (bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protists) of selected types of drinking water employing whole-genome high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics. Investigation into activity and function of the organisms detected is in progress.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A comparative analysis of drinking water employing metagenomics

et al. 2020

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“…We demonstrated selection, but also showed that selection differed based on the source water (Figure 5). While there is an obvious need and scope for larger observational studies on drinking water microbiomes 46 , there is also a clear need for basic laboratory-scale ecological studies that can help to inform on interpretations from complex building plumbing data. Moreover, understanding the basic ecology of building plumbing systems will provide a basis for proactive management of the microbiomes in these systems.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Towards a probiotic approach for building plumbing – nutrient-based selection during initial biofilm formation on flexible polymeric materials

Neu

Laura

Hammes

2020

Preprint

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26Upon entering building plumbing systems, drinking water bacteria experience 27 considerable changes in environmental conditions. For example, some flexible 28 polymeric materials leach organic carbon, which increases bacterial growth and 29 reduces diversity. Here we show that the carbon supply by a flexible polymeric material 30 drives nutrient-based selection within establishing biofilm communities. We found that 31 migrating carbon from EPDM coupons resulted in considerable growth for different 32 drinking water communities (0.2 -3.3 x 10 8 cells/cm 2 ). All established biofilm 33 communities showed low diversity (29 -50 taxa/biofilm), with communities dominated 34 by even viewer taxa (e.g., 5 taxa accounting for 94 ± 5 % relative abundance, n = 15). 35Interestingly, biofilm communities shared some taxa (e.g., Methylobacterium spp.) and 36 families (e.g., Comamonadaceae), despite the difference in starting communities. 37Moreover, selected biofilm communities performed better than their original 38 communities regarding maximum attachment (91 ± 5 vs. 69 ± 23 %, n = 15) and 39 attachment rate (5.0 ± 1.7 x 10 4 vs. 2.4 ± 1.2 x 10 4 cells/cm 2 /h, n = 15) when exposed 40 to new EPDM coupons. Our results demonstrate nutrient-based selection during initial 41 biofilm formation on a flexible polymeric material and a resulting benefit to selected 42 communities. We anticipate our findings to help connecting observational 43 microbiological findings with their underlying ecological principles. Regarding initial 44 biofilm formation, attachment dynamics, growth, and selection thereof are important 45 for the management of microbial communities. In fact, managing initial colonization by 46 supplying specific carbon and/or introducing consciously chosen/designed 47 communities potentially paves the way for a probiotic approach for building plumbing 48 materials. 49 50

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“…However, anthropogenic activities not only affect soil health, but soil quality, which in turn could affect water quality that ultimately affect the lives of vulnerable populations. Similar to the soil microbiome, the water microbiome is increasingly being studied for climate change reasons and also for public health surveillance [15]. This is crucial, because the health of a community is intricately linked with drinking water and water used for other domestic activities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Metagenomic Analysis of Bacterial Communities in Water and Soil of the Fulani and non-Fulani in Nigeria

Afolayan

Ayeni

2020

J Infect Dev Ctries

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Introduction: Interactions between environmental factors (water and soil) and humans are inevitable, particularly in rural and semi-urbanized regions. As such, knowledge on the microbial constituents of these environmental factors is key to understanding potential risk to public health. However, the microbial profile of soil and water present in vulnerable human communities in Nigeria is currently unknown. This study sought to investigate the composition of soil and water microbiota in the environment inhabited by recently studied human communities (the Fulani nomadic group and the urbanized Jarawa ethnic group) and estimate the contribution of these environmental factors to the microbiome of the aforementioned human communities. Methodology: Soil and water samples were collected from the Fulani and non-Fulani community in Jengre (Plateau State, Nigeria) and Jos (Plateau State, Nigeria), respectively. Genomic DNA was extracted from these environmental samples, followed by Illumina sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and bioinformatics analysis via Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology QIIME. Results: There is abundance of Proteobacteria (43%) signature members in soil samples obtained from both human communities. Analysis of the water samples revealed the abundance of Proteobacteria, particularly in water sourced from the borehole (Fulani). Pseudomonas (30%) had higher relative abundance in the drinking water of the Fulani. Conclusions: The drinking water of the Fulani could be a potential health risk to the studied Fulani community. Factors that increase the abundance of public health threats and health risk, such as hygiene practices, soil and water quality need to be studied further for the improvement of health in vulnerable populations.

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Drinking Water Microbiome Project: Is it Time?

Cited by 50 publications

References 36 publications

A comparative analysis of drinking water employing metagenomics

A comparative analysis of drinking water employing metagenomics

Towards a probiotic approach for building plumbing – nutrient-based selection during initial biofilm formation on flexible polymeric materials

Metagenomic Analysis of Bacterial Communities in Water and Soil of the Fulani and non-Fulani in Nigeria

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