Metagenomic profiling and transfer dynamics of antibiotic resistance determinants in a full-scale granular sludge wastewater treatment plant

In the One Health context, wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are central to safeguarding water resources. Nonetheless, many questions remain about their effectiveness in preventing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) dissemination. Most surveillance studies monitor the levels and removal of selected antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile...

Free-floating extracellular DNA: systematic profiling of mobile genetic elements and antibiotic resistance from wastewater

The free-floating extracellular DNA (exDNA) fraction of microbial ecosystems harbors antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Natural transformation of these xenogenetic elements can generate microbial cells resistant to one or more antibiotics. Isolating and obtaining high yield exDNA is challenging due to its low...