Bioplastic accumulates antibiotic and metal resistance genes in coastal marine sediments
(2021) In Environmental Pollution 291.- Abstract
The oceans are increasingly polluted with plastic debris, and several studies have implicated plastic as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes and a potential vector for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bioplastic is widely regarded as an environmentally friendly replacement to conventional petroleum-based plastic, but the effects of bioplastic pollution on marine environments remain largely unknown. Here, we present the first evidence that bioplastic accumulates antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and metal resistance genes (MRGs) in marine sediments. Biofilms fouling ceramic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) were investigated by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Four ARG groups were more abundant in... (More)
The oceans are increasingly polluted with plastic debris, and several studies have implicated plastic as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes and a potential vector for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bioplastic is widely regarded as an environmentally friendly replacement to conventional petroleum-based plastic, but the effects of bioplastic pollution on marine environments remain largely unknown. Here, we present the first evidence that bioplastic accumulates antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and metal resistance genes (MRGs) in marine sediments. Biofilms fouling ceramic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) were investigated by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Four ARG groups were more abundant in PHA: trimethoprim resistance (TMP), multidrug resistance (MDR), macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin resistance (MLS), and polymyxin resistance (PMR). One MRG group was more abundant in PHA: multimetal resistance (MMR). The relative abundance of ARGs and MRGs were strongly correlated based on a Mantel test between the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrices (R = 0.97, p < 0.05) and a Pearson's analysis (R = 0.96, p < 0.05). ARGs were detected in more than 40% of the 57 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) while MRGs were detected in more than 90% of the MAGs. Further investigation (e.g., culturing, genome sequencing, antibiotic susceptibility testing) revealed that PHA biofilms were colonized by hemolytic Bacillus cereus group bacteria that were resistant to beta-lactams, vancomycin, and bacitracin. Taken together, our findings indicate that bioplastic, like conventional petroleum-based plastic, is a reservoir for resistance genes and a potential vector for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in coastal marine sediments.
(Less)
- author
- Di Cesare, Andrea ; Pinnell, Lee J. ; Brambilla, Diego ; Elli, Giulia LU ; Sabatino, Raffaella ; Sathicq, María B. ; Corno, Gianluca ; O'Donnell, Colin and Turner, Jeffrey W.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Antibiotic resistance, Bioplastic, Metal resistance, Pathogen, Plastisphere
- in
- Environmental Pollution
- volume
- 291
- article number
- 118161
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85115039134
- pmid:34537596
- ISSN
- 0269-7491
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118161
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- b199d6dd-3276-4575-9707-1fa6395790ff
- date added to LUP
- 2021-09-29 15:41:15
- date last changed
- 2024-06-15 17:09:39
@article{b199d6dd-3276-4575-9707-1fa6395790ff,
abstract = {{<p>The oceans are increasingly polluted with plastic debris, and several studies have implicated plastic as a reservoir for antibiotic resistance genes and a potential vector for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Bioplastic is widely regarded as an environmentally friendly replacement to conventional petroleum-based plastic, but the effects of bioplastic pollution on marine environments remain largely unknown. Here, we present the first evidence that bioplastic accumulates antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and metal resistance genes (MRGs) in marine sediments. Biofilms fouling ceramic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) were investigated by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Four ARG groups were more abundant in PHA: trimethoprim resistance (TMP), multidrug resistance (MDR), macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin resistance (MLS), and polymyxin resistance (PMR). One MRG group was more abundant in PHA: multimetal resistance (MMR). The relative abundance of ARGs and MRGs were strongly correlated based on a Mantel test between the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity matrices (R = 0.97, p < 0.05) and a Pearson's analysis (R = 0.96, p < 0.05). ARGs were detected in more than 40% of the 57 metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) while MRGs were detected in more than 90% of the MAGs. Further investigation (e.g., culturing, genome sequencing, antibiotic susceptibility testing) revealed that PHA biofilms were colonized by hemolytic Bacillus cereus group bacteria that were resistant to beta-lactams, vancomycin, and bacitracin. Taken together, our findings indicate that bioplastic, like conventional petroleum-based plastic, is a reservoir for resistance genes and a potential vector for antibiotic-resistant bacteria in coastal marine sediments.</p>}},
author = {{Di Cesare, Andrea and Pinnell, Lee J. and Brambilla, Diego and Elli, Giulia and Sabatino, Raffaella and Sathicq, María B. and Corno, Gianluca and O'Donnell, Colin and Turner, Jeffrey W.}},
issn = {{0269-7491}},
keywords = {{Antibiotic resistance; Bioplastic; Metal resistance; Pathogen; Plastisphere}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Environmental Pollution}},
title = {{Bioplastic accumulates antibiotic and metal resistance genes in coastal marine sediments}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118161}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118161}},
volume = {{291}},
year = {{2021}},
}