biostudies-literatureBlaustein RAAustrian Marshall Plan Scholarship FoundationNCATS NIH HHSNUSeq Core Facility Illumina Pilot ProgramWeinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern UniversityNational Institutes of Health32https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7849112biostudies-literatureUnknown9(1)<h4>Background</h4>While indoor microbiomes impact our health and well-being, much remains unknown about taxonomic and functional transitions that occur in human-derived microbial communities once they are transferred away from human hosts. Toothbrushes are a model to investigate the potential response of oral-derived microbiota to conditions of the built environment. Here, we characterize metagenomes of toothbrushes from 34 subjects to define the toothbrush microbiome and resistome and possible influential factors.<h4>Results</h4>Toothbrush microbiomes often comprised a dominant subset of human oral taxa and less abundant or site-specific environmental strains. Although toothbrushes contained lower taxonomic diversity than oral-associated counterparts (determined by comparison with the Human Microbiome Project), they had relatively broader antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) profiles. Toothbrush resistomes were enriched with a variety of ARGs, notably those conferring multidrug efflux and putative resistance to triclosan, which were primarily attributable to versatile environmental taxa. Toothbrush microbial communities and resistomes correlated with a variety of factors linked to personal health, dental hygiene, and bathroom features.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Selective pressures in the built environment may shape the dynamic mixture of human (primarily oral-associated) and environmental microbiota that encounter each other on toothbrushes. Harboring a microbial diversity and resistome distinct from human-associated counterparts suggests toothbrushes could potentially serve as a reservoir that may enable the transfer of ARGs. Video abstract.MicrobiomeToothbrush microbiomes feature a meeting ground for human oral and environmental microbiota.PMC7849112TL1 TR001423TL1R001423599WCASSUM1813665Blaustein RAHuttelmaier SBen Maamar SMichelitsch LMGlawe AJLee HHartmann EMHellgeth NfalseToothbrush microbiomes feature a meeting ground for human oral and environmental microbiota.<h4>Background</h4>While indoor microbiomes impact our health and well-being, much remains unknown about taxonomic and functional transitions that occur in human-derived microbial communities once they are transferred away from human hosts. Toothbrushes are a model to investigate the potential response of oral-derived microbiota to conditions of the built environment. Here, we characterize metagenomes of toothbrushes from 34 subjects to define the toothbrush microbiome and resistome and possible influential factors.<h4>Results</h4>Toothbrush microbiomes often comprised a dominant subset of human oral taxa and less abundant or site-specific environmental strains. Although toothbrushes contained lower taxonomic diversity than oral-associated counterparts (determined by comparison with the Human Microbiome Project), they had relatively broader antimicrobial resistance gene (ARG) profiles. Toothbrush resistomes were enriched with a variety of ARGs, notably those conferring multidrug efflux and putative resistance to triclosan, which were primarily attributable to versatile environmental taxa. Toothbrush microbial communities and resistomes correlated with a variety of factors linked to personal health, dental hygiene, and bathroom features.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Selective pressures in the built environment may shape the dynamic mixture of human (primarily oral-associated) and environmental microbiota that encounter each other on toothbrushes. Harboring a microbial diversity and resistome distinct from human-associated counterparts suggests toothbrushes could potentially serve as a reservoir that may enable the transfer of ARGs. Video abstract.2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Jan2024-11-11T20:09:51.071Z2021-02-21T05:27:49ZS-EPMC78491123351790710.1186/s40168-020-00983-x