The role of Cladophora glomerata as a habitat for bacterial communities and a reservoir of antibiotic resistance.
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2014-09-01
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Abstract
This thesis studied the filamentous alga Cladophora glomerata’s role in providing a refuge for antibiotic resistance and analyzed the community composition of the bacterial colonizers of C. glomerata mats by taking samples of water and C. glomerata mats from 4 sites along nearshore Lake Ontario and 2 wetland sites. Using plate screening techniques, bacteria resistant to ampicillin were found at all sites and sampling dates and vancomycin resistant bacteria were found particularly in sites immediately downstream of a wastewater treatment plant. qPCR targeting antibiotic resistance genes demonstrate the presence of the resistance genes ampC, tetA, tetB, and vanA. Lab experiments showed that C. glomerata exudates promote the growth of E. coli. Illumina sequencing of the bacterial community indicated that C. glomerata harbours a bacterial community distinct from the surrounding water, and supports the growth of fecal bacteria and bacterial taxa including the genera Clostridium and Campylobacter.
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Cladophora glomerata, Antibiotic resistance genes, Aquatic microbial community, Environmental antibiotic resistance