title: Distribution of tetracycline resistance genes in anaerobic treatment of waste sludge: The role of pH in regulating tetracycline resistant bacteria and horizontal gene transfer.
abstract: Although pH value has been widely regarded as an important factor that affects resource recovery of waste sludge, the potential influence of diverse pHs on the distribution of tetracycline resistance genes (TRGs) during sludge anaerobic treatment is largely unknown. Here we reported that in the range of pH 4-10, 0.58-1.18 log unit increase of target TRGs was observed at pH 4, compared with that at pH 7, while 0.70-1.31 log unit further removal were obtained at pH 10. Mechanism study revealed that varied pHs not only altered the community structures of tetracycline resistant bacteria (TRB), but also changed their relative abundances, benefitting the propagation (acidic pHs) or attenuation (alkaline pHs) of TRB. Further investigation indicated that the amount and gene-possessing abilities of key genetic vectors for horizontal TRGs transfer were greatly promoted at acidic pHs but restricted under alkaline conditions.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Haining
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yinguang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China. Electronic address: xiongzheng@tongji.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Yinglong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology, School of Ocean and Earth Science, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092, China.
authors.forename: Shouye
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D022761:Gene Transfer, Horizontal / Q000235:genetics*; D005798:Genes, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012722:Sewage / Q000382:microbiology*; D013753:Tetracycline Resistance / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D012722:Sewage
keywords: Diverse pHs; Horizontal transfer; Sludge anaerobic treatment; Tetracycline resistance genes; Tetracycline resistant bacteria