Firmicute Endospore DNA 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing

Endospore DNA as a proxy to study the accumulation of antibiotic resistance genes in the environmentEmergence and multiplication of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARBs) and multi-resistant bacteria (MRBs) are considered as a major threat for human health in future. However relatively little is known about the general abundance of ARGs in environment and their accumulation over time. Aquatic ecosystems serve as a reservoir of ARGs and thus as a pathway of dissemination of resistant organisms. Although ARGs can be quantitatively traced in environmental samples, a stable biological marker is required to establish their origin, spread and evolution over time. Because of their durability, endospores might constitute an ideal biological marker for such studies. A sediment core previously used for the paleoecological reconstruction of the last 100 years of Lake Geneva was selected. A specific method to obtain DNA from resistant structures (bacterial seed bank) combined with the quantification of two selected ARGs (tetW and sul1) and the characterization of the seed bank community composition were used to investigate the relationship between the natural background of ARGs and their accumulation associated to the human legacy of antibacterial use.