Active microbiome and functional attributes of freshwater biofilms subject to erythromycin exposure

The presence of erythromycin, an antibiotic commonly used for the treatment of bacterial infection, at high concentrations in freshwater bodies remains a significant ecological hazard. However, the effects of free erythromycin on microorganisms, especially freshwater biofilms, are still not fully understood. Although a recent study reported that exposure to erythromycin caused no change in the diversity of the biofilm community, the underlying active microbiome and functional activities remain unexplored. In this study, we used a laboratory-cultured multispecies biofilm model to further unravel the expressional gene profiles of freshwater biofilms subjected to sub-inhibitory concentrations of erythromycin via metatranscriptomic analysis.