Elevated CO2 alleviated the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in sulfadiazine-contaminated soil: A free-air CO2 enrichment study

Meiling Xu; Qian Xiang; Fen Xu; Lei Guo; Laura J Carter; Wenchao Du; Chunwu Zhu; Ying Yin; Rong Ji; Xiaozhi Wang; Hongyan Guo

doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131079

Elevated CO₂ alleviated the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes in sulfadiazine-contaminated soil: A free-air CO₂ enrichment study

J Hazard Mater. 2023 May 15:450:131079. doi: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131079. Epub 2023 Feb 24.

Authors

Meiling Xu¹, Qian Xiang², Fen Xu³, Lei Guo⁴, Laura J Carter⁵, Wenchao Du⁶, Chunwu Zhu⁷, Ying Yin³, Rong Ji³, Xiaozhi Wang⁸, Hongyan Guo⁹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China.
² Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China.
³ State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China.
⁴ Department of Cadre Ward, Eastern Theater General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Nanjing 210002, China.
⁵ School of Geography, Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
⁶ School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
⁷ State Key Laboratory of Soil and Sustainable Agriculture, Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Nanjing 210008, China.
⁸ College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225127, China.
⁹ State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Joint International Research Centre for Critical Zone Science-University of Leeds and Nanjing University, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China. Electronic address: hyguo@nju.edu.cn.

PMID: 36857828
DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131079

Abstract

Climate change affects soil microbial communities and their genetic exchange, and subsequently modifies the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) among bacteria. However, how elevated CO₂ impacts soil antibiotic resistome remains poorly characterized. Here, a free-air CO₂ enrichment system was used in the field to investigate the responses of ARGs profiles and bacterial communities to elevated CO₂ (+200 ppm) in soils amended with sulfadiazine (SDZ) at 0, 0.5 and 5 mg kg^-1. Results showed that SDZ exposure induced the co-occurrence of beta-lactamase and tetracycline resistance genes, and SDZ at 5 mg kg^-1 enhanced the abundance of aminoglycoside, sulfonamide and multidrug resistance genes. However, elevated CO₂ weakened the effects of SDZ at 0.5 mg kg^-1 following an observed reduction in the total abundance of ARGs and mobile genetic elements. Additionally, elevated CO₂ significantly decreased the abundance of vancomycin resistance genes and alleviated the stimulation of SDZ on the dissemination of aminoglycoside resistance genes. Correlation analysis and structural equation models revealed that elevated CO₂ could directly influence the spread of ARGs or impose indirect effects on ARGs by affecting soil properties and bacterial communities. Overall, our results furthered the knowledge of the dissemination risks of ARGs under future climate scenarios.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistome; CO(2); Microbial communities; Sulfadiazine.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aminoglycosides
Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
Bacteria / genetics
Carbon Dioxide / pharmacology
Drug Resistance, Microbial / genetics
Genes, Bacterial
Soil / chemistry
Soil Microbiology
Sulfadiazine*

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Sulfadiazine
Carbon Dioxide
Soil
Aminoglycosides

Grants and funding

MR/S032126/1/MRC_/Medical Research Council/United Kingdom