Antibiotic resistance profiles and mutations that might affect drug susceptibility in metagenome-assembled genomes of Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas species from municipal wastewater

Abstract Antibiotic resistance (AR) has emerged as a significant global health issue. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contain diverse bacterial communities, including pathogens, and have been identified as crucial reservoirs for the emergence and dissemination of AR. The present study aimed to i...

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Main Authors: Evida Poopedi, Rian Pierneef, Tanusha Singh, Annancietar Gomba
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-04-01
Series:BMC Microbiology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-03957-x
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author Evida Poopedi
Rian Pierneef
Tanusha Singh
Annancietar Gomba
author_facet Evida Poopedi
Rian Pierneef
Tanusha Singh
Annancietar Gomba
author_sort Evida Poopedi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Antibiotic resistance (AR) has emerged as a significant global health issue. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contain diverse bacterial communities, including pathogens, and have been identified as crucial reservoirs for the emergence and dissemination of AR. The present study aimed to identify antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and screen for the presence of mutations associated with AR in Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas spp. from municipal wastewater. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of L. pneumophila and Aeromonas spp. were reconstructed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of AR in these organisms. A total of 138 nonsynonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in seven genes associated with AR and one deletion mutation in the lpeB gene were identified in L. pneumophila. In Aeromonas spp., two (aph(6)-Id and aph(3’’)-Ib) and five (bla MOX−4, bla OXA−1143, bla OXA−724, cepH, and imiH) ARGs conferring resistance to aminoglycosides and β-lactams were identified, respectively. Moreover, this study presents β-lactam resistance genes, bla OXA−1143 and bla OXA−724, for the first time in Aeromonas spp. from a municipal WWTP. In conclusion, these findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms through which clinically relevant pathogenic bacteria such as L. pneumophila and Aeromonas spp. found in natural environments like municipal wastewater acquire AR.
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spelling doaj-art-c3dff31d0d6f4fe3ab9741013695f3b62025-08-20T03:14:09ZengBMCBMC Microbiology1471-21802025-04-012511910.1186/s12866-025-03957-xAntibiotic resistance profiles and mutations that might affect drug susceptibility in metagenome-assembled genomes of Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas species from municipal wastewaterEvida Poopedi0Rian Pierneef1Tanusha Singh2Annancietar Gomba3Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral Microbiology and Oral Biology, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences UniversityDepartment of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of PretoriaNational Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory ServiceNational Institute for Occupational Health, National Health Laboratory ServiceAbstract Antibiotic resistance (AR) has emerged as a significant global health issue. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) contain diverse bacterial communities, including pathogens, and have been identified as crucial reservoirs for the emergence and dissemination of AR. The present study aimed to identify antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and screen for the presence of mutations associated with AR in Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas spp. from municipal wastewater. Metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) of L. pneumophila and Aeromonas spp. were reconstructed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of AR in these organisms. A total of 138 nonsynonymous single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in seven genes associated with AR and one deletion mutation in the lpeB gene were identified in L. pneumophila. In Aeromonas spp., two (aph(6)-Id and aph(3’’)-Ib) and five (bla MOX−4, bla OXA−1143, bla OXA−724, cepH, and imiH) ARGs conferring resistance to aminoglycosides and β-lactams were identified, respectively. Moreover, this study presents β-lactam resistance genes, bla OXA−1143 and bla OXA−724, for the first time in Aeromonas spp. from a municipal WWTP. In conclusion, these findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms through which clinically relevant pathogenic bacteria such as L. pneumophila and Aeromonas spp. found in natural environments like municipal wastewater acquire AR.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-03957-xAntibiotic resistanceMetagenome-assembled genomeMutationsMolecular mechanismsMunicipal wastewater
spellingShingle Evida Poopedi
Rian Pierneef
Tanusha Singh
Annancietar Gomba
Antibiotic resistance profiles and mutations that might affect drug susceptibility in metagenome-assembled genomes of Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas species from municipal wastewater
BMC Microbiology
Antibiotic resistance
Metagenome-assembled genome
Mutations
Molecular mechanisms
Municipal wastewater
title Antibiotic resistance profiles and mutations that might affect drug susceptibility in metagenome-assembled genomes of Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas species from municipal wastewater
title_full Antibiotic resistance profiles and mutations that might affect drug susceptibility in metagenome-assembled genomes of Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas species from municipal wastewater
title_fullStr Antibiotic resistance profiles and mutations that might affect drug susceptibility in metagenome-assembled genomes of Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas species from municipal wastewater
title_full_unstemmed Antibiotic resistance profiles and mutations that might affect drug susceptibility in metagenome-assembled genomes of Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas species from municipal wastewater
title_short Antibiotic resistance profiles and mutations that might affect drug susceptibility in metagenome-assembled genomes of Legionella pneumophila and Aeromonas species from municipal wastewater
title_sort antibiotic resistance profiles and mutations that might affect drug susceptibility in metagenome assembled genomes of legionella pneumophila and aeromonas species from municipal wastewater
topic Antibiotic resistance
Metagenome-assembled genome
Mutations
Molecular mechanisms
Municipal wastewater
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-03957-x
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