Deciphering plasmid mediated antibiotic resistance gene transmission through urban wastewater system

Antibiotic resistance has been one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today. Numerous cases of antibiotic resistance have rendered treatment failure, posing a great threat to human health. Besides clinical setting, the environment has been recognized as an important reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). As the interaction interface between bacteria originating from the human gut and the environment, the urban wastewater system (UWS) has particularly been suggested as a pathway for ARG dissemination. Indeed, the UWS borne antibiotic resistance has been largely attributed to plasmid-mediated ARG transmission. Plasmids — extrachromosomal replicons, can efficiently shuttle genes across diverse taxa — a process known as horizontal gene transfer. It is therefore essential to evaluate to what extent and in which way the plasmid behaviour in UWS contribute to ARG transmission in the environment. Coupling cutting-edge sequencing technologies and experimental tools, we here propose the integrated research project to decipher plasmid-mediated ARG transmission in UWSs, and explore novel control strategies. The efforts of all the five tasks in the project will identify options of science and technique which should be prioritized to tackle the plasmid-mediated ARG transmission in UWSs. The project will have significant impacts, both short-term and long-term, on multiple aspects of scientific research, technology development and public health. The knowledge generated in this project will fill several research gaps in environmental dimension of antibiotic resistance. We believe the project will facilitate setting up an integrated ‘One Health’ framework by providing comprehensive knowledge of the environmental dimension of plasmid-mediated ARG transmission.

Funding Source: RGC - General Research Fund (GRF)