Microplastics combined with tetracycline in soils facilitate the formation of antibiotic resistance in the Enchytraeus crypticus microbiome. 2020

Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, China; Ningbo Urban Environmental Observatory and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Science, Ningbo 315830, China.

Growing evidence suggests that microplastics can adsorb antibiotics and may consequently exacerbate effects on the health of exposed organisms. Our current understanding of the combined effects of microplastics and antibiotics on antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in soil invertebrates is limited. This study aimed to investigate changes in the microbiome and ARGs in Enchytraeus crypticus following exposure to a soil environment that contained both microplastics and antibiotics. Tetracycline (TC), polyamide (PA) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) were used to construct microcosms of polluted soil environments (TC, PA, PVC, PA+TC, PVC+TC). The differences in microbiomes and ARGs were determined by bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and high throughput quantitative PCR. The results show that compared with the Control or microplastics alone treatments, TC was significantly accumulated in E. crypticus when exposed to TC alone or in combination with microplastics (P < 0.05), but there were no significant differences about TC accumulation between TC, PA+TC, and PVC+TC treated E. crypticus (P > 0.05). Microplastics and TC significantly disturbed the microbial community, and decreased the microbial alpha diversity of E. crypticus (P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between TC, microplastics and their combined exposure treatments, and no toxic synergies on the diversity of E. crypticus microbiome between tetracycline and microplastics in soil environment. All the treatments increased the diversity of ARGs in E. crypticus (39-49 ARGs vs. 25 ARGs of control). In particular, treatments combining PVC and TC or PA and TC exposure resulted in greater ARGs abundance than the treatments when E. crypticus was exposed to PVC, PA or TC alone. These results add to our understanding of the combined effects of microplastics and antibiotics on the ARGs and microbiome of soil invertebrates.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010969 Plastics Polymeric materials (usually organic) of large molecular weight which can be shaped by flow. Plastic usually refers to the final product with fillers, plasticizers, pigments, and stabilizers included (versus the resin, the homogeneous polymeric starting material). (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed) Plastic
D004352 Drug Resistance, Microbial The ability of microorganisms, especially bacteria, to resist or to become tolerant to chemotherapeutic agents, antimicrobial agents, or antibiotics. This resistance may be acquired through gene mutation or foreign DNA in transmissible plasmids (R FACTORS). Antibiotic Resistance,Antibiotic Resistance, Microbial,Antimicrobial Resistance, Drug,Antimicrobial Drug Resistance,Antimicrobial Drug Resistances,Antimicrobial Resistances, Drug,Drug Antimicrobial Resistance,Drug Antimicrobial Resistances,Drug Resistances, Microbial,Resistance, Antibiotic,Resistance, Drug Antimicrobial,Resistances, Drug Antimicrobial
D005798 Genes, Bacterial The functional hereditary units of BACTERIA. Bacterial Gene,Bacterial Genes,Gene, Bacterial
D000080545 Microplastics Plastic particles, less than 5 millimeters in diameter, that are generated from the degradation of larger pieces or are manufactured to be microstructures or smaller. Mesoplastics,Plastic Microparticles,Plastic Nanoparticles,Mesoplastic,Microparticle, Plastic,Microparticles, Plastic,Microplastic,Nanoparticle, Plastic,Nanoparticles, Plastic,Plastic Microparticle,Plastic Nanoparticle
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000900 Anti-Bacterial Agents Substances that inhibit the growth or reproduction of BACTERIA. Anti-Bacterial Agent,Anti-Bacterial Compound,Anti-Mycobacterial Agent,Antibacterial Agent,Antibiotics,Antimycobacterial Agent,Bacteriocidal Agent,Bacteriocide,Anti-Bacterial Compounds,Anti-Mycobacterial Agents,Antibacterial Agents,Antibiotic,Antimycobacterial Agents,Bacteriocidal Agents,Bacteriocides,Agent, Anti-Bacterial,Agent, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agent, Antibacterial,Agent, Antimycobacterial,Agent, Bacteriocidal,Agents, Anti-Bacterial,Agents, Anti-Mycobacterial,Agents, Antibacterial,Agents, Antimycobacterial,Agents, Bacteriocidal,Anti Bacterial Agent,Anti Bacterial Agents,Anti Bacterial Compound,Anti Bacterial Compounds,Anti Mycobacterial Agent,Anti Mycobacterial Agents,Compound, Anti-Bacterial,Compounds, Anti-Bacterial
D012336 RNA, Ribosomal, 16S Constituent of 30S subunit prokaryotic ribosomes containing 1600 nucleotides and 21 proteins. 16S rRNA is involved in initiation of polypeptide synthesis. 16S Ribosomal RNA,16S rRNA,RNA, 16S Ribosomal,Ribosomal RNA, 16S,rRNA, 16S
D012987 Soil The unconsolidated mineral or organic matter on the surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants. Peat,Humus,Soils
D012988 Soil Microbiology The presence of bacteria, viruses, and fungi in the soil. This term is not restricted to pathogenic organisms. Microbiology, Soil
D064307 Microbiota The full collection of microbes (bacteria, fungi, virus, etc.) that naturally exist within a particular biological niche such as an organism, soil, a body of water, etc. Human Microbiome,Microbiome,Microbiome, Human,Microbial Community,Microbial Community Composition,Microbial Community Structure,Community Composition, Microbial,Community Structure, Microbial,Community, Microbial,Composition, Microbial Community,Human Microbiomes,Microbial Communities,Microbial Community Compositions,Microbial Community Structures,Microbiomes,Microbiotas

Related Publications

Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
February 2022, Journal of hazardous materials,
Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
October 2019, Environment international,
Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
June 1999, Ecotoxicology and environmental safety,
Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
August 2018, Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987),
Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
February 2020, Toxics,
Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
February 2022, Toxics,
Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
June 2023, Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987),
Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
August 2020, Environmental toxicology and pharmacology,
Jun Ma, and G Daniel Sheng, and Patrick O'Connor
August 2013, Environmental toxicology and chemistry,
Copied contents to your clipboard!