Metatranscriptomics of microbes associated with freshwater suspended sediment

The introduction and proliferation of pathogenic organisms in aquatic systems is a serious global issue that can lead to several economic, financial, and human health concerns. However, traditional water quality testing approaches are outdated as they neglect to consider the sediment compartment. They also provide no insight into the active microbial community or the source of the contamination. This study aimed to 1) examine the metatranscriptome of the microbial community associated with suspended sediment (SS) in freshwater systems; and 2) explore the influence of the transported SS metatranscriptome in tributaries adjacent to nearshore freshwater beaches. Samples were collected seasonally from Lake St. Clair and Lake Erie, allowing for spatiotemporal comparisons. The beaches in this region are influenced by both agriculture runoff and continued urban expansion. Our data suggests that SS transport acts as a strong vector for pathogen transport, making this facet an important area for further research as it pertains to human health with regards to recreational water use. To our knowledge, this work is the first to investigate SS as a source of microbial pathogenicity in aquatic communities using metatranscriptomic analyses and has significant potential to help address growing issues of microbial contamination impacting freshwater security.