The ecological and molecular mechanism underlying effective reduction of antibiotic resistance genes pollution in soil by fermentation broth from fruit and vegetable waste

• Published in: Journal of hazardous materials Vol. 451; p. 131201
• Main Authors: Lin, Da, Zhu, Lin, Yao, Yanlai, Zhu, Lizhong, Wang, Meizhen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 05.06.2023
• Subjects: Actinobacteria; Anti-Bacterial Agents - pharmacology; Antibiotic resistance genes; Bacteria - genetics; Drug Resistance, Microbial - genetics; Fermentation; Fermentation broth; Fruit; Genes, Bacterial; Horizontal gene transfer; Selective pressure; Soil; Soil Microbiology; Tetracycline - pharmacology; Vegetables; Actinobacteria; Fermentation broth; Selective pressure; Antibiotic resistance genes; Horizontal gene transfer
• ISSN: 0304-3894; 1873-3336
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.131201

The strategies to relieve antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) pollution are urgently needed. Fermentation broth from fruit and vegetable waste (FFVW), an agricultural amendment, exhibits a remarkable capacity to reduce ARG pollution; however, the underlying mechanism of this effect remains unclear. We performed microcosm experiments to reappear the phenomenon of FFVW-driven reduction in ARGs. Moderate-level FFVW reduced gene resistance to sulfonamide (41.2 %), macrolide–lincosamide–streptogramin (MLS) (47.2 %), chloramphenicol (63.2 %), and tetracycline (61.4 %). Binning and network analyses revealed that Actinobacteria comprise the primary hosts of ARGs in arable soil, and FFVW substantially inhibited the growth and metabolic activity of these organisms. Moreover, tetracycline and MLS production was partially/completely inhibited by FFVW, further reducing the transfer frequency by 52.9–86.1 % and 46.6–66.6 % in the intragenic and intergenic mating systems, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of genes related to conjugation pairing and plasmid transfer was downregulated. Thus, FFVW effectively reduces ARG pollution by inhibiting Actinobacteria proliferation, thereby reducing selective pressure and restricting horizontal gene transfer. Our findings highlight the important underlying mechanisms of FFVW involved in ARG reduction, supporting its use in arable soil. [Display omitted] •The mechanism of FFVW-mediated ARG reduction was revealed from macro and micro perspectives.•FFVW reduced ARGs by restraining the growth and metabolism for ARG host Actinobacteria in soils.•FFVW reduced ARGs by reducing the persistent antibiotics selection pressure in soils.•FFVW mitigated horizontal transfer of ARGs through conjugative transfer.•The study offered an approach to control soil ARGs caused by organic fertilizer application.