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Plastispheres as reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance: Insights from metagenomic analyses across aquatic environments
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This study analyzed the diversity and abundance of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in plastisphere metagenomes from 36 samples collected in freshwater, raw wastewater, and treated wastewater environments, constructing 537 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes to identify pathogens and link ARGs to bacterial hosts. Results showed wastewater plastispheres contained the highest ARG diversity, with beta-lactam, aminoglycoside, and tetracycline resistance most abundant, highlighting the plastisphere's role as a reservoir and disseminator of antimicrobial resistance.
Evidence suggests that plastic particles from various environments can accumulate harmful microorganisms and carry bacteria with antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs). The so-called "plastisphere" might facilitate the spread of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance across environments, posing risks to human and animal health. This study aimed to analyze the diversity and abundance of ARGs found in plastispheres from various aquatic environments, identify clinically relevant pathogenic species, and ascertain bacterial hosts carrying ARGs. We present data from 36 metagenomes collected from plastispheres in different environments (freshwater, raw wastewater, and treated wastewater). The diversity and abundance of ARGs in the resistome of the plastispheres were analyzed through metagenomic methods. A total of 537 high-quality metagenomic-assembled genomes (MAGs) were constructed to identify clinically relevant pathogens and to link the detected ARGs to their bacterial hosts. The results show that the environment has the greatest influence on the abundance and diversity of ARGs in the plastispheres resistome, with the wastewater plastisphere containing a resistome with the highest diversity of ARGs. Resistance to beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, and tetracyclines were the most abundant resistance mechanisms detected in the different plastispheres. The construction of MAGs identified potential pathogens and environmental bacteria that confer resistance to one or several drug classes, with beta-lactams being the most pervasive form of AMR detected. This work enhances our understanding of the plastisphere's role in antimicrobial resistance dissemination and its ecological and public health risks.
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Microplastisphere antibiotic resistance genes: A bird's-eye view on the plastic-specific diversity and enrichment
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Microplastics in the environment act as surfaces for microbial communities called microplastispheres, which this review finds are enriched with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). The type of plastic, surrounding water chemistry, and co-occurring pollutants all influence which resistance genes accumulate, raising concern that microplastics could be spreading antibiotic resistance through aquatic environments worldwide.
Ecosystem-specific composition and drivers of plastisphere resistome in freshwater and marine environments
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This comparative meta-analysis of metagenomic data found that microplastics in freshwater and marine environments harbor distinct antibiotic resistance gene profiles, with freshwater plastispheres showing greater resistome diversity. Microplastics serve as hotspots for antibiotic resistance gene propagation, with mobile genetic elements facilitating transfer to potentially pathogenic bacteria.
Comprehensive profiling and risk assessment of antibiotic resistomes in surface water and plastisphere by integrated shotgun metagenomics
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Researchers used shotgun metagenomics to compare antibiotic resistance genes in surface water versus the biofilms that form on microplastic surfaces, known as the plastisphere. They found that microplastics harbored distinct microbial communities with different antibiotic resistance profiles compared to surrounding water. The study raises concerns that microplastics may serve as vehicles for spreading antibiotic resistance in aquatic environments.
Shotgun metagenomic profiling reveals a high diversity of taxa and genes within biofilms formed on microplastics incubated in urbanised aquatic ecosystems
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This study used shotgun metagenomic profiling to assess bacterial diversity, antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG), and virulence genes in biofilms formed on polypropylene microplastics incubated at five sites across an anthropogenic gradient near Ostend, Belgium. Results found significant variability of plastisphere communities across sites but no substrate-specific effect between PP and glass beads, while PPB represented about 7% of bacterial reads and selective enrichment of ARGs was demonstrated in biofilms compared to surrounding water.
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Researchers found that plastic surfaces in rivers harbor distinct microbial communities enriched in potentially pathogenic bacteria and antimicrobial resistance genes compared to surrounding water and sediment, suggesting that riverine microplastics actively spread antibiotic resistance through aquatic ecosystems.
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