Global diversity and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in human wastewater treatment systems

Global Water Microbiome Consortium

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-59019-3

Global diversity and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in human wastewater treatment systems

Global Water Microbiome Consortium

Capital Medical University
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Peking University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Tsinghua University
Minzu University of China
Georgia Institute of Technology
Newcastle University
Shandong University
University of Hawaii
University of Guelph
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The University of Auckland
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
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CAS - Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences
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National Cheng Kung University
Stanford University
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Scion
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Bureau of Environmental Services
Universidade Federal do Ceará
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Universidade de São Paulo
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Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
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Rice University
Northeast Normal University
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Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
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Golden Heart Utilities
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Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory - Guanzhou
Hunan Agricultural University
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Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
University of Washington

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

74 Scopus citations

Abstract

Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to human health, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are important reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Here, we analyze the antibiotic resistomes of 226 activated sludge samples from 142 WWTPs across six continents, using a consistent pipeline for sample collection, DNA sequencing and analysis. We find that ARGs are diverse and similarly abundant, with a core set of 20 ARGs present in all WWTPs. ARG composition differs across continents and is distinct from that of the human gut and the oceans. ARG composition strongly correlates with bacterial taxonomic composition, with Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria being the major carriers. ARG abundance positively correlates with the presence of mobile genetic elements, and 57% of the 1112 recovered high-quality genomes possess putatively mobile ARGs. Resistome variations appear to be driven by a complex combination of stochastic processes and deterministic abiotic factors.

Original language	English
Article number	4006
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	16
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59019-3
State	Published - Dec 2025
Externally published	Yes

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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10.1038/s41467-025-59019-3

Cite this

@article{c542507df9354360bf1f19e563633f91,

title = "Global diversity and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in human wastewater treatment systems",

abstract = "Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to human health, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are important reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Here, we analyze the antibiotic resistomes of 226 activated sludge samples from 142 WWTPs across six continents, using a consistent pipeline for sample collection, DNA sequencing and analysis. We find that ARGs are diverse and similarly abundant, with a core set of 20 ARGs present in all WWTPs. ARG composition differs across continents and is distinct from that of the human gut and the oceans. ARG composition strongly correlates with bacterial taxonomic composition, with Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria being the major carriers. ARG abundance positively correlates with the presence of mobile genetic elements, and 57\% of the 1112 recovered high-quality genomes possess putatively mobile ARGs. Resistome variations appear to be driven by a complex combination of stochastic processes and deterministic abiotic factors.",

author = "\{Global Water Microbiome Consortium\} and Congmin Zhu and Linwei Wu and Daliang Ning and Renmao Tian and Shuhong Gao and Bing Zhang and Jianshu Zhao and Ya Zhang and Naijia Xiao and Yajiao Wang and Brown, \{Mathew R.\} and Qichao Tu and Weiqin Zhuang and Hongde Zhou and Wanlin Zheng and Wen Zhang and Qian Zhang and Chiqian Zhang and Michelle Young and Min Yang and Tao Yan and Chuanwu Xi and Liyou Wu and Wu, \{Jer Horng\} and Woo, \{Sung Geun\} and Stephanie West and Weaver, \{Joseph E.\} and Bei Wang and Steve Wakelin and \{Van Nostrand\}, \{Joy D.\} and Tooker, \{Nicholas B.\} and Chenxiang Sun and Kyle Stephens and \{de Sousa\}, \{Oscarina Viana\} and Kylie Smith and Jatinder Sidhu and Simona Rossetti and \{de los Reyes\}, \{Francis L.\} and Valeria Reginatto and Prathap Parameswaran and Andrew Palmer and Meyers, \{Arthur J.\} and \{de Menezes\}, \{Francisca Gleire Rodriguez\} and Mendon{\c c}a-Hagler, \{Leda C.\} and Yu Liu and Mengyan Li and Zhenxin Li and Yong Li and Lee, \{Zarraz M.P.\} and Aijie Wang",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

doi = "10.1038/s41467-025-59019-3",

language = "英语",

volume = "16",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "1",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Global diversity and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in human wastewater treatment systems

AU - Global Water Microbiome Consortium

AU - Zhu, Congmin

AU - Wu, Linwei

AU - Ning, Daliang

AU - Tian, Renmao

AU - Gao, Shuhong

AU - Zhang, Bing

AU - Zhao, Jianshu

AU - Zhang, Ya

AU - Xiao, Naijia

AU - Wang, Yajiao

AU - Brown, Mathew R.

AU - Tu, Qichao

AU - Zhuang, Weiqin

AU - Zhou, Hongde

AU - Zheng, Wanlin

AU - Zhang, Wen

AU - Zhang, Qian

AU - Zhang, Chiqian

AU - Young, Michelle

AU - Yang, Min

AU - Yan, Tao

AU - Xi, Chuanwu

AU - Wu, Liyou

AU - Wu, Jer Horng

AU - Woo, Sung Geun

AU - West, Stephanie

AU - Weaver, Joseph E.

AU - Wang, Bei

AU - Wakelin, Steve

AU - Van Nostrand, Joy D.

AU - Tooker, Nicholas B.

AU - Sun, Chenxiang

AU - Stephens, Kyle

AU - de Sousa, Oscarina Viana

AU - Smith, Kylie

AU - Sidhu, Jatinder

AU - Rossetti, Simona

AU - de los Reyes, Francis L.

AU - Reginatto, Valeria

AU - Parameswaran, Prathap

AU - Palmer, Andrew

AU - Meyers, Arthur J.

AU - de Menezes, Francisca Gleire Rodriguez

AU - Mendonça-Hagler, Leda C.

AU - Liu, Yu

AU - Li, Mengyan

AU - Li, Zhenxin

AU - Li, Yong

AU - Lee, Zarraz M.P.

AU - Wang, Aijie

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to human health, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are important reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Here, we analyze the antibiotic resistomes of 226 activated sludge samples from 142 WWTPs across six continents, using a consistent pipeline for sample collection, DNA sequencing and analysis. We find that ARGs are diverse and similarly abundant, with a core set of 20 ARGs present in all WWTPs. ARG composition differs across continents and is distinct from that of the human gut and the oceans. ARG composition strongly correlates with bacterial taxonomic composition, with Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria being the major carriers. ARG abundance positively correlates with the presence of mobile genetic elements, and 57% of the 1112 recovered high-quality genomes possess putatively mobile ARGs. Resistome variations appear to be driven by a complex combination of stochastic processes and deterministic abiotic factors.

AB - Antibiotic resistance poses a significant threat to human health, and wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are important reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Here, we analyze the antibiotic resistomes of 226 activated sludge samples from 142 WWTPs across six continents, using a consistent pipeline for sample collection, DNA sequencing and analysis. We find that ARGs are diverse and similarly abundant, with a core set of 20 ARGs present in all WWTPs. ARG composition differs across continents and is distinct from that of the human gut and the oceans. ARG composition strongly correlates with bacterial taxonomic composition, with Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria being the major carriers. ARG abundance positively correlates with the presence of mobile genetic elements, and 57% of the 1112 recovered high-quality genomes possess putatively mobile ARGs. Resistome variations appear to be driven by a complex combination of stochastic processes and deterministic abiotic factors.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105004335774

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-025-59019-3

DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-59019-3

M3 - 文章

C2 - 40301344

AN - SCOPUS:105004335774

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 16

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

IS - 1

M1 - 4006

ER -

Global diversity and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes in human wastewater treatment systems

Abstract

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