Microplastics host distinct microbial communities enriched in potentially pathogenic taxa and antibiotic resistance genes: evidence from environmental and experimentally aged plastics in a coastal marine environment

PRJNA1447744 · illumina_amplicon · Created 2026-08-19

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Project Title: Microplastics host distinct microbial communities enriched in potentially pathogenic taxa and antibiotic resistance genes: evidence from environmental and experimentally aged plastics in a coastal marine environment
Organism: marine metagenome
Organization: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie
SRA Runs: 10
Samples: 10
Data: 2,336,029 reads, 1.41 Gbp
Description: This study investigates microbial communities associated with environmental and laboratory-aged microplastics in the Northern Adriatic Sea. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, shotgun metagenomics, and ddPCR, we show that microplastics host distinct, less diverse microbial biofilms compared to surrounding waters. These communities are enriched in potentially pathogenic taxa, particularly Vibrio, and carry a more diverse and abundant set of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), including clinically relevant markers such as mcr-1 and qnr. Overall, the results highlight microplastics as selective and biologically active substrates that may contribute to the environmental spread of antimicrobial resistance.

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Processed with illumina_amplicon on Alliance Canada HPC.

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5,644 ASVs across the run.

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