Antibiotic microbial resistance (AMR) removal efficiencies by conventional and advanced wastewater treatment processes: A review.

The coronavirus spike glycoprotein, located on the virion surface, is the key mediator of cell entry and the focus for development of protective antibodies and vaccines. Structural studies show exposed sites on the spike trimer that might be targeted by antibodies with cross-species specificity. Here we isolated two human monoclonal antibodies from immunized humanized mice that display a remarkable cross-reactivity against distinct spike proteins of betacoronaviruses including SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV and the endemic human coronavirus HCoV-OC43. Both cross-reactive antibodies target the stem helix in the spike S2 fusion subunit which, in the prefusion conformation of trimeric spike, forms a surface exposed membrane-proximal helical bundle. Both antibodies block MERS-CoV infection in cells and provide protection to mice from lethal MERS-CoV challenge in prophylactic and/or therapeutic models. Our work highlights an immunogenic and vulnerable site on the betacoronavirus spike protein enabling elicitation of antibodies with unusual binding breadth.

/pdf/a-conserved-immunogenic-and-vulnerable-site-on-the-3hftup281l.pdf

A conserved immunogenic and vulnerable site on the coronavirus spike protein delineated by cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies.

Technologies towards antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) removal from aquatic environment: A critical review.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s43141-020-00081-3.pdf

Biogenic nanoparticles: a comprehensive perspective in synthesis, characterization, application and its challenges.

Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Combretum erythrophyllum leaves and its antibacterial activities

Wastewater treatment plants play an important role in the emergence of antibiotic resistance. They provide a hot spot for exchange of resistance within and between species. Here, we analyse and quantify the genomic diversity of the indicator Escherichia coli in a German wastewater treatment plant and we relate it to isolates’ antibiotic resistance. Our results show a surprisingly large pan-genome, which mirrors how rich an environment a treatment plant is. We link the genomic analysis to a phenotypic resistance screen and pinpoint genomic hot spots, which correlate with a resistance phenotype. Besides well-known resistance genes, this forward genomics approach generates many novel genes, which correlated with resistance and which are partly completely unknown. A surprising overall finding of our analyses is that we do not see any difference in resistance and pan genome size between isolates taken from the inflow of the treatment plant and from the outflow. This means that while treatment plants reduce the amount of bacteria released into the environment, they do not reduce the potential for antibiotic resistance of these bacteria.

High Genomic Diversity of Multi-Drug Resistant Wastewater

Wastewater treatment plants play an important role in the emergence of antibiotic resistance. They provide a hot spot for exchange of resistance within and between species. Here, we analyse and quantify the genomic diversity of the indicator Escherichia coli in a German wastewater treatment plant and we relate it to isolates' antibiotic resistance. Our results show a surprisingly large pan-genome, which mirrors how rich an environment a treatment plant is. We link the genomic analysis to a phenotypic resistance screen and pinpoint genomic hot spots, which correlate with a resistance phenotype. Besides well-known resistance genes, this forward genomics approach generates many novel genes, which correlated with resistance and which are partly completely unknown. A surprising overall finding of our analyses is that we do not see any difference in resistance and pan genome size between isolates taken from the inflow of the treatment plant and from the outflow. This means that while treatment plants reduce the amount of bacteria released into the environment, they do not reduce the potential for antibiotic resistance of these bacteria.

/pdf/high-genomic-diversity-of-multi-drug-resistant-wastewater-4w7buq1mjn.pdf

High genomic diversity of multi-drug resistant wastewater Escherichia coli

Wastewater treatment plants play an important role in the release of antibiotic resistance into the environment. It has been shown that wastewater contains multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli, but information on strain diversity is surprisingly scarce. Here we present an exceptionally large dataset on multidrug resistant Escherichia coli, originating from wastewater, over a thousand isolates were phenotypically characterized for twenty antibiotics and for 103 isolates whole genomes were sequenced. To our knowledge this is the first study documenting such a comprehensive diversity of multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli in wastewater. The genomic diversity of the isolates was unexpectedly high and contained a high number of resistance and virulence genes. To illustrate the genomic diversity of the isolates we calculated the pan genome of the wastewater Escherichia coli and found it to contain over sixteen thousand genes. To analyse this diverse dataset, we devised a computational approach correlating genotypic variation and resistance phenotype, this way we were able to identify not only known, but also candidate resistance genes. Finally, we could verify that the effluent of a wastewater treatment plant will contain multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli belonging to clinically important clonal groups.

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2017/11/14/215210.full.pdf

Wastewater treatment plants play an important role in antibiotic resistance development. While it has been shown that wastewater effluents contain resistant bacteria, resistance genes, and antibiotics, there is little knowledge on the link between resistance genotype and phenotype. Here we present the first study, which combines a culture-based phenotypic screen with the analysis of whole genome sequences for the indicator species Escherichia coli of the inflow and outflow of a sewage treatment plant. Our analysis reveals that nearly all isolates are multi-drug resistant and many are potentially pathogenic. This holds in particular for the outflow of the treatment plant. We devise a computational approach correlating genotypic variation and resistance phenotype, which identifies known and candidate resistance genes. The identified genes stem from the pan genome, which is large and thus reflects the genomic heterogeneity of a treatment plant. Overall, the screen and analysis show that sewage treatment plants provide a favourable environment for antibiotic resistance development and that resistant bacteria do not appear to suffer from a competitive disadvantage in wastewater. These findings should find consideration in future improvements of wastewater treatment.

/pdf/whole-genome-analysis-reveals-pathogenic-potential-of-multi-1wbpqgglk0.pdf

Norhan Mahfouz

Papers

High Genomic Diversity of Multi-Drug Resistant Wastewater

High genomic diversity of multi-drug resistant wastewater Escherichia coli

High genomic diversity of multi-drug resistant wastewater Escherichia coli

Whole genome analysis reveals pathogenic potential of multi-drug resistant wastewater Escherichia coli