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Selection and horizontal gene transfer underlie microdiversity-level heterogeneity in resistance gene fate during wastewater treatment

Author

Listed:
  • Connor L. Brown

    (Virginia Tech)

  • Ayella Maile-Moskowitz

    (Virginia Tech)

  • Allison J. Lopatkin

    (University of Rochester)

  • Kang Xia

    (Virginia Tech)

  • Latania K. Logan

    (Emory University)

  • Benjamin C. Davis

    (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

  • Liqing Zhang

    (Virginia Tech)

  • Peter J. Vikesland

    (Virginia Tech)

  • Amy Pruden

    (Virginia Tech)

Abstract

Activated sludge is the centerpiece of biological wastewater treatment, as it facilitates removal of sewage-associated pollutants, fecal bacteria, and pathogens from wastewater through semi-controlled microbial ecology. It has been hypothesized that horizontal gene transfer facilitates the spread of antibiotic resistance genes within the wastewater treatment plant, in part because of the presence of residual antibiotics in sewage. However, there has been surprisingly little evidence to suggest that sewage-associated antibiotics select for resistance at wastewater treatment plants via horizontal gene transfer or otherwise. We addressed the role of sewage-associated antibiotics in promoting antibiotic resistance using lab-scale sequencing batch reactors fed field-collected wastewater, metagenomic sequencing, and our recently developed bioinformatic tool Kairos. Here, we found confirmatory evidence that fluctuating levels of antibiotics in sewage are associated with horizontal gene transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, microbial ecology, and microdiversity-level differences in resistance gene fate in activated sludge.

Suggested Citation

  • Connor L. Brown & Ayella Maile-Moskowitz & Allison J. Lopatkin & Kang Xia & Latania K. Logan & Benjamin C. Davis & Liqing Zhang & Peter J. Vikesland & Amy Pruden, 2024. "Selection and horizontal gene transfer underlie microdiversity-level heterogeneity in resistance gene fate during wastewater treatment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49742-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49742-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Christian Munck & Mads Albertsen & Amar Telke & Mostafa Ellabaan & Per Halkjær Nielsen & Morten O. A. Sommer, 2015. "Limited dissemination of the wastewater treatment plant core resistome," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 6(1), pages 1-10, December.
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