Population genomics and antimicrobial resistance dynamics of Escherichia coli in wastewater and river environments.

ABSTRACT: Aquatic environments are key niches for the emergence, evolution and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance. However, the population diversity and the genetic elements that drive the dynamics of resistant bacteria in different aquatic environments are still largely unknown. The aim of this study was to understand the population genomics and evolutionary events of Escherichia coli resistant to clinically important antibiotics including aminoglycosides, in anthropogenic and natural water ecosystems. Here we show that less different E. coli sequence types (STs) are identified in wastewater than in rivers, albeit more resistant to antibiotics, and with significantly more plasmids/cell (6.36 vs 3.72). However, the genomic diversity within E. coli STs in both aquatic environments is similar.

SUBMITTER: Delgado-Blas JF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8041779 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature