Evolution of Antibiotic Resistance and the Relationship between the Antibiotic Resistance Genes and Microbial Compositions under Long-Term Exposure to Tetracycline and Sulfamethoxazole

Bingbing Du, Qingxiang Yang, Ruifei Wang, Ruimin Wang, Qiang Wang and Yuan Xin
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Bingbing Du: School of Environment, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
Qingxiang Yang: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
Ruifei Wang: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
Ruimin Wang: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
Qiang Wang: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China
Yuan Xin: College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 23, 1-15

Abstract: The removal of antibiotics and widespread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) have received continuous attention due to the possible threats to environment. However, little information is available on the evolution of antibiotic resistance and the relationship between ARGs and microbial communities under long-term exposure to sub-inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics. In our study, two laboratory-scale anoxic-aerobic wastewater treatment systems were established and operated for 420 days to investigate the evolution of antibiotic resistance under exposure of 5 mg·L −1 tetracycline (TC) or 5 mg·L −1 TC and 1 mg·L −1 sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The average removal rates of TC and SMX were about 59% and 72%, respectively. The abundance of the main ARGs responsible for resistance to TC and SMX increased obviously after antibiotics addition, especially when TC and SMX in combination (increased 3.20-fold). The tetC and sul1 genes were the predominant genes in the development of TC and SMX resistance, in which gene sul1 had the highest abundance among all the detected ARGs. Network analysis revealed that under antibiotic pressure, the core bacterial groups carrying multiple ARGs formed and concentrated in about 20 genera such as Dechloromonas , Candidatus Accumulibacter , Aeromonas , Rubrivivax , in which intI1 played important roles in transferring various ARGs except sul3 .

Keywords: anoxic-aerobic systems; antibiotic pressure; antibiotic resistance gene; network analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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