摘要

    河流被认为是抗生素抗性基因（ARG）的重要储存库，对于传播ARG至关重要。本研究通过高通量定量PCR研究了淮河上游（中国七大河流之一）上游沉积物的ARGs污染。随后，确定了ARGs与细菌群落/流动遗传元件（MGEs）之间的关系。从结果可以看出，总的ARGs范围从2.65×10-3到6.14×10-2 / 16S拷贝，并且支流中ARGs的丰度明显高于主流地区（p <0.05）。此外，支流引入的ARGs能够影响整个淮河干流。从共现分析和pRDA分析的结果可以看出，据报道，MGEs是在淮河流域上游传播ARGs的主要驱动力。 MGEs比例越大，淮河中ARGs从抗生素抗性细菌转移到人类病原体的可能性就越高。

    Rivers are considered a vital reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and are critical to disseminate ARGs. The present study delved into the ARGs pollution of the sediments in the upper reaches of Huaihe river, one of the seven longest rivers in China, by high-throughput quantitative PCR. Subsequently, the relationship between ARGs and the bacterial community/mobile genetic elements (MGEs) was determined. As revealed from the results, the overall ARGs ranged from 2.65×10−3 to 6.14×10-2/16S copies, and the abundance of ARGs in the tributaries was significantly higher than that in the mainstreams (p<0.05). Moreover, the ARGs introduced by tributaries were capable of affecting the whole mainstream of Huaihe river. As suggested from the results of co-occurrence analysis and pRDA analysis, MGEs were reported as the major driver to disseminate ARGs in the upper reaches of Huaihe river basin. The larger the MGEs proportion, the higher the likelihood of ARGs transferring from antibiotic resistance bacteria to human pathogens in Huaihe river.

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304389420312607