Cited by 87Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental ImpactsMicroplastics and Plastic PollutionAntibiotic Resistance in Bacteria

Microbial hitchhikers harbouring antimicrobial-resistance genes in the riverine plastisphere

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Zadjelovic, Vinko, Wright, Robyn J., Borsetto, Chiara, Quartey, Jeannelle, Cairns, Tyler N., Langille, Morgan G. I., Wellington, Elizabeth M. H., Christie-Oleza, Joseph A.·2023·Microbiome

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Abstract

Background: The widespread nature of plastic pollution has given rise to wide scientific and social concern regarding the capacity of these materials to serve as vectors for pathogenic bacteria and reservoirs for Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARG). In- and ex-situ incubations were used to characterise the riverine plastisphere taxonomically and functionally in order to determine whether antibiotics within the water influenced the ARG profiles in these microbiomes and how these compared to those on natural surfaces such as wood and their planktonic counterparts. Results: We show that plastics support a taxonomically distinct microbiome containing potential pathogens and ARGs. While the plastisphere was similar to those biofilms that grew on wood, they were distinct from the surrounding water microbiome. Hence, whilst potential opportunistic pathogens (i.e. Pseudomonas aeruginosa , Acinetobacter and Aeromonas ) and ARG subtypes (i.e. those that confer resistance to macrolides/lincosamides, rifamycin, sulfonamides, disinfecting agents and glycopeptides) were predominant in all surface-related microbiomes, especially on weathered plastics, a completely different set of potential pathogens (i.e . Escherichia , Salmonella , Klebsiella and Streptococcus ) and ARGs (i.e. aminoglycosides, tetracycline, aminocoumarin, fluoroquinolones, nitroimidazole, oxazolidinone and fosfomycin) dominated in the planktonic compartment. Our genome-centric analysis allowed the assembly of 215 Metagenome Assembled Genomes (MAGs), linking ARGs and other virulence-related genes to their host. Interestingly, a MAG belonging to Escherichia –that clearly predominated in water– harboured more ARGs and virulence factors than any other MAG, emphasising the potential virulent nature of these pathogenic-related groups. Finally, ex-situ incubations using environmentally-relevant concentrations of antibiotics increased the prevalence of their corresponding ARGs, but different riverine compartments –including plastispheres– were affected differently by each antibiotic. Conclusions: Our results provide insights into the capacity of the riverine plastisphere to harbour a distinct set of potentially pathogenic bacteria and function as a reservoir of ARGs. The environmental impact that plastics pose if they act as a reservoir for either pathogenic bacteria or ARGs is aggravated by the persistence of plastics in the environment due to their recalcitrance and buoyancy. Nevertheless, the high similarities with microbiomes growing on natural co-occurring materials and even more worrisome microbiome observed in the surrounding water highlights the urgent need to integrate the analysis of all environmental compartments when assessing risks and exposure to pathogens and ARGs in anthropogenically-impacted ecosystems.

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Authors
Zadjelovic, V., Wright, R. J., Borsetto, C., Quartey, J., Cairns, T. N., Langille, M. G. I., Wellington, E. M. H., & Christie-Oleza, J. A.
Affiliations
  • Universidad de Antofagasta (CL)
  • Dalhousie University (CA)
  • University of Warwick (GB)
Corresponding author
  • Zadjelovic, Vinko
  • Wellington, Elizabeth M. H.
Venue
Microbiome
Published
2023-11-01
Volume
11
Issue
1
Pages
225-225
ISSN
2049-2618 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4388085921
Cited by
87
References
159
Citations by year
2026: 33 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 1
FWCI
5.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Microbiome (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Research Square (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Warwick Research Archive Portal (University of Warwick) (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Natural Environment Research Council (NE/S005501/1)
  • Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo (2022 / Folio 85220034)
  • Agencia Estatal de Investigación (PID2019-109509RB-I00 / MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Pollution › Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Medicine › Antibiotic Resistance in Bacteria
Keywords
plastisphere, antimicrobial resistance genes, plastic pollution, opportunistic pathogens, Escherichia, metagenome-assembled genomes, virulence genes, antibiotic exposure, bacterioplankton, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, Klebsiella, Streptococcus
MeSH terms
Anti-Bacterial Agents, Bacteria, Genes, Bacterial, Water, Lincosamides, Microbiota

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