Plastispheres as Reservoirs of Antimicrobial Resistance

We address knowledge gaps regarding the plastisphere's resistome and its accumulation in aquatic environments. We use metagenomics to analyze the resistome of plastispheres from freshwater, raw wastewater, and treated wastewater. Aims are to 1) Assess resistome diversity, 2) Quantify ARG abundance, 3) Identify clinically relevant pathogens (e.g., E. coli, ESKAPE pathogens), and 4) Link ARGs to bacterial hosts via assembly-based methods.This work enhances our understanding of the plastisphere's role in antimicrobial resistance dissemination and its ecological and public health risks.