SP 4: Effects of irrigation water quality and soil type on the soil and plant associated microbiome, abundance, diversity and transferability of antibiotic resistance genes in Gram-positive bacteria
Background
In the past, irrigation with untreated wastewater led to the accumulation of micropollutants such as antibiotics in the soil. When untreated wastewater is replaced with treated wastewater for irrigation, these micropollutants could potentially be released into the soil.
Hypotheses
We hypothesize that
- The transition from irrigation with untreated wastewater to treated wastewater may result in the release of pollutants that have previously accumulated in the soil.
- Environmental concentrations of pollutants, whether from treated or untreated wastewater, as well as those released from the soil and absorbed by plants, can be sufficient to promote antibiotic resistance and facilitate horizontal gene transfer in both soils and plants.
- Soil type plays a key role in modulating the release of pollutants and influencing the selection for antibiotic resistance
Methods
The impact of soil type and irrigation water quality on the absolute and relative abundance of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) from Gram-positive bacteria will be quantified using qPCR in water, soil and plant samples.
Shifts of the bacterial community compositions in water, soils and plants dependent on soil type and irrigation water quality will be assessed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and by cultivation methods in collaboration with SP 5 and SP 6.
To quantify horizontal spread of ARGs and MGEs in wastewater-irrigated soils and to measure the impact of the irrigation water quality a mCherry-labeled mobilizable plasmid will be developed.
Team
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Leila Soufi (post doc) |
Elisabeth Grohmann (PI) |