| Title | Spatial distribution of antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes in the Black Sea |
| Abstract | Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) are worldwide considered as emerging contaminants of large interest, and a primary threat to human health. It is becoming clear that the environment plays a central role in the transmission, spread, and evolution of antibiotic resistance. Although marine systems have been largely investigated, only a few studies have considered the presence of ARGs in meso- and bathypelagic waters. To date, no molecular based studies have yet been made to investigate the occurrence of ARGs in the Black Sea, the largest meromictic basin in the world, receiving water from a number of important European rivers and their residues of anthropogenic activities in permanently stratified mesopelagic water masses. In this study, we determined the presence and the abundance of five ARGs (blaCTXM, ermB, qnrS, sul2, tetA) and of the heavy metal resistance gene (HMRG) czcA, in different sampling sites in the eastern and western Black Sea, at several depths (up to 1000 m) and various distances from the shoreline. Three ARGs (blaCTXM, sul2, and tetA) and czcA were present in at least 43% of the analysed samples, whereas ermB and qnrS were never detected. In particular, sul2 abundances increased significantly in coastal location, whereas tetA increased with sampling depth. These findings point out the Black Sea as a source of ARGs and HMRGs distributed along the whole water column. |
| Source | Marine pollution bulletin. 160 (111635) |
| Keywords | antibiotic resistanceheavy metal resistancedeep sea |
| Journal | Marine pollution bulletin. |
| Editor | Macmillan,, London, Regno Unito |
| Year | 2020 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111635 |
| Authors | Raffaella Sabatino, Andrea Di Cesare, Nina Dzhembekova, Diego Fontaneto, Ester M. Eckert, Gianluca, Corno, Snejana Moncheva, Roberto Bertoni, Cristiana Callieri |
| Text | 430432 2020 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111635 antibiotic resistance heavy metal resistance deep sea Spatial distribution of antibiotic and heavy metal resistance genes in the Black Sea Raffaella Sabatino, Andrea Di Cesare, Nina Dzhembekova, Diego Fontaneto, Ester M. Eckert, Gianluca, Corno, Snejana Moncheva, Roberto Bertoni, Cristiana Callieri Water Research Institute National Research Council of Italy CNR IRSA , Molecular Ecology Group MEG , Largo Tonolli 50, 28922 Verbania VB , Italy; Institute for Oceanology Fridtjof Nansen, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, First May Street 40, P.O. Box 152, 9000 Varna, Bulgaria Antibiotic resistance genes ARGs and antibiotic resistant bacteria ARB are worldwide considered as emerging contaminants of large interest, and a primary threat to human health. It is becoming clear that the environment plays a central role in the transmission, spread, and evolution of antibiotic resistance. Although marine systems have been largely investigated, only a few studies have considered the presence of ARGs in meso and bathypelagic waters. To date, no molecular based studies have yet been made to investigate the occurrence of ARGs in the Black Sea, the largest meromictic basin in the world, receiving water from a number of important European rivers and their residues of anthropogenic activities in permanently stratified mesopelagic water masses. In this study, we determined the presence and the abundance of five ARGs blaCTXM, ermB, qnrS, sul2, tetA and of the heavy metal resistance gene HMRG czcA, in different sampling sites in the eastern and western Black Sea, at several depths up to 1000 m and various distances from the shoreline. Three ARGs blaCTXM, sul2, and tetA and czcA were present in at least 43% of the analysed samples, whereas ermB and qnrS were never detected. In particular, sul2 abundances increased significantly in coastal location, whereas tetA increased with sampling depth. These findings point out the Black Sea as a source of ARGs and HMRGs distributed along the whole water column. 160 Published version https //www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X20307530 via%3Dihub sab 2020_MPB_Sabatino et al.pdf Articolo in rivista Macmillan, 0025 326X Marine pollution bulletin. Marine pollution bulletin. Mar. Pollut. Bull. Marine pollution bulletin. cristiana.callieri CALLIERI CRISTIANA SABATINO RAFFAELLA roberto.bertoni BERTONI ROBERTO gianluca.corno CORNO GIANLUCA diego.fontaneto FONTANETO DIEGO andrea.dicesare DI CESARE ANDREA estermaria.eckert ECKERT ESTER MARIA |
