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Metagenomic Analysis Reveals the Fate of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in a Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plant in Egypt

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  • Osama S. Ali

    (Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Engineering, American University in Cairo, Cairo 11865, Egypt)

  • Walaa G. Hozayen

    (Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62521, Egypt)

  • Abdulwahab S. Almutairi

    (Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
    Ministry of Health, Jeddah 11176, Saudi Arabia)

  • Sherif A. Edris

    (Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
    Department of Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11241, Egypt
    Research and Development Unit, Al Borg Laboratories, Jeddah 21573, Saudi Arabia
    Princess Al Jawhara Albrahim Centre of Excellence in Research of Hereditary Disorders (PACER-HD), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia)

  • Aala A. Abulfaraj

    (Department of Biological Sciences, Science and Arts College, Rabigh Campus, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia)

  • Amged A. Ouf

    (Department of Biology, School of Sciences and Engineering, American University in Cairo, Cairo 11865, Egypt)

  • Hamada M. Mahmoud

    (Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62521, Egypt)

Abstract

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are recognized as hotspots for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARBs) in the environment. Our study utilized a high-throughput sequencing-based metagenomic analysis approach to compare the ARG abundance profiles of the raw sewage, treated effluent and activated sludge samples from a full-scale WWTP in Egypt. In addition, the difference in microbial community composition due to the treatment process was assessed. As a result, 578 ARG subtypes (resistance genes) belonging to 18 ARG types (antibiotic resistance classes) were identified. ARGs encoding for resistance against multidrug, aminoglycoside, bacitracin, beta-lactam, sulfonamide, and tetracycline antibiotics were the most abundant types. The total removal efficiency percentage of ARGs in the WWTP was found to be 98% however, the ARG persistence results indicated that around 68% of the ARGs in the influent could be found in the treated effluent. This finding suggests that the treated wastewater poses a potential risk for the ARG dissemination in bacterial communities of the receiving water bodies via horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The community composition at phylum level showed that Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria were the most abundant phyla in all datasets. Although the relative abundance of several pathogenic bacteria in the influent declined to less than 1% in the effluent, the taxonomic assignments at species level for the effluent and sludge metagenomes demonstrated that clinically important pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Aeromonas caviae were present. Overall, the results of this study would hopefully enhance our knowledge about the abundance profiles of ARGs and their fate in different wastewater treatment compartments that have never been examined before.

Suggested Citation

  • Osama S. Ali & Walaa G. Hozayen & Abdulwahab S. Almutairi & Sherif A. Edris & Aala A. Abulfaraj & Amged A. Ouf & Hamada M. Mahmoud, 2021. "Metagenomic Analysis Reveals the Fate of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in a Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plant in Egypt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-19, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11131-:d:652157
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    1. Helle Krogh Pedersen & Valborg Gudmundsdottir & Henrik Bjørn Nielsen & Tuulia Hyotylainen & Trine Nielsen & Benjamin A. H. Jensen & Kristoffer Forslund & Falk Hildebrand & Edi Prifti & Gwen Falony & E, 2016. "Human gut microbes impact host serum metabolome and insulin sensitivity," Nature, Nature, vol. 535(7612), pages 376-381, July.
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    1. Osama S. Ali & Walaa G. Hozayen & Abdulwahab S. Almutairi & Sherif Edris & Alaa Karkashan & Aala A. Abulfaraj & Roba Attar & Amged A. Ouf & Basma Abbas & Hamada M. Mahmoud, 2022. "The Assessment of the Risk Ranking and Mobility Potential Associated with Environmental Resistomes in Wastewater Using Metagenomic Assembly," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-24, November.

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