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Schmitz BW, Polanco JA, Chen H, Manaktala A, Gu X, Goh SG, Gin KYH. Virus surrogates throughout a full-scale advanced water reuse system. WATER RESEARCH 2024; 256:121556. [PMID: 38604066 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.121556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Water reuse as an alternative water supply is increasing throughout the world due to water stress and scarcity; however, there are no standard practices for monitoring virus pathogens in such systems. This study aimed to identify suitable surrogates for virus fate, transport, and removal throughout a water reuse scheme. Various microbial targets (11 viruses, two phage, and three bacteria) were monitored using molecular and culture methods across all treatment stages in a wastewater reclamation facility and advanced water treatment facility. Criteria were established for identifying suitable surrogates, which included reliable detection, observable fate and transport, calculable log-reduction values (LRVs), correlations with other targets, and various morphological types. In total, five viruses (PMMoV, AiV, GII NoV, AdV, FRNA GII) met these stringent criteria and were suggested as potential virus surrogates. These surrogates enabled successful comparison of assigned versus actual LRVs throughout a water reuse scheme. Results suggest that virus pathogens are effectively removed throughout water reuse treatment and the suggested surrogates can be utilized for monitoring treatment performance and ensuring public health safety. This study provides a framework that water utilities across the world can reference for establishing virus monitoring practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley W Schmitz
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E1A, #07-03, No. 1 Engineering Drive 2 117576, Singapore; Current affiliation: Loudoun Water, 44865 Loudoun Water Way, Ashburn, VA 20147, USA.
| | - Julio A Polanco
- Orange County Water District (OCWD), Department of Research and Development, 18700 Ward St., Fountain Valley, CA 92708, USA
| | - Hongjie Chen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E1A, #07-03, No. 1 Engineering Drive 2 117576, Singapore
| | - Avnika Manaktala
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E1A, #07-03, No. 1 Engineering Drive 2 117576, Singapore
| | - Xiaoqiong Gu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E1A, #07-03, No. 1 Engineering Drive 2 117576, Singapore
| | - Shin Giek Goh
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E1A, #07-03, No. 1 Engineering Drive 2 117576, Singapore
| | - Karina Yew-Hoong Gin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Block E1A, #07-03, No. 1 Engineering Drive 2 117576, Singapore
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Babler KM, Sharkey ME, Amirali A, Boone MM, Comerford S, Currall BB, Grills GS, Laine J, Mason CE, Reding B, Schürer S, Stevenson M, Vidović D, Williams SL, Solo-Gabriele HM. Expanding a Wastewater-Based Surveillance Methodology for DNA Isolation from a Workflow Optimized for SARS-CoV-2 RNA Quantification. J Biomol Tech 2023; 34:3fc1f5fe.dfa8d906. [PMID: 38268997 PMCID: PMC10805363 DOI: 10.7171/3fc1f5fe.dfa8d906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) is a noninvasive, epidemiological strategy for assessing the spread of COVID-19 in communities. This strategy was based upon wastewater RNA measurements of the viral target, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The utility of WBS for assessing the spread of COVID-19 has motivated research to measure targets beyond SARS-CoV-2, including pathogens containing DNA. The objective of this study was to establish the necessary steps for isolating DNA from wastewater by modifying a long-standing RNA-specific extraction workflow optimized for SARS-CoV-2 detection. Modifications were made to the sample concentration process and included an evaluation of bead bashing prior to the extraction of either DNA or RNA. Results showed that bead bashing reduced detection of RNA from wastewater but improved recovery of DNA as assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Bead bashing is therefore not recommended for the quantification of RNA viruses using qPCR. Whereas for Mycobacterium bacterial DNA isolation, bead bashing was necessary for improving qPCR quantification. Overall, we recommend 2 separate workflows, one for RNA viruses that does not include bead bashing and one for other microbes that use bead bashing for DNA isolation. The experimentation done here shows that current-standing WBS program methodologies optimized for SARS-CoV-2 need to be modified and reoptimized to allow for alternative pathogens to be readily detected and monitored, expanding its utility as a tool for public health assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina M. Babler
- Department of ChemicalEnvironmental and Materials
EngineeringUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33124USA
| | - Mark E. Sharkey
- Department of MedicineUniversity of Miami Miller School
of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - Ayaaz Amirali
- Department of ChemicalEnvironmental and Materials
EngineeringUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33124USA
| | - Melinda M. Boone
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of Miami
Miller School of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - Samuel Comerford
- Department of MedicineUniversity of Miami Miller School
of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - Benjamin B. Currall
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of Miami
Miller School of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - George S. Grills
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of Miami
Miller School of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - Jennifer Laine
- Environmental Health and SafetyUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - Christopher E. Mason
- Department of Physiology and BiophysicsWeill Cornell
MedicineNew YorkNew York10065USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud
Institute for Computational BiomedicineWeill Cornell MedicineNew
YorkNew York10065USA
- The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative PredictionWeill Cornell MedicineNew YorkNew YorkUSA 10065USA
| | - Brian Reding
- Environmental Health and SafetyUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - Stephan Schürer
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of Miami
Miller School of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular PharmacologyUniversity of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
- Institute for Data Science & Computing, University of
MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33146USA
| | - Mario Stevenson
- Department of MedicineUniversity of Miami Miller School
of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - Dušica Vidović
- Department of Molecular and Cellular PharmacologyUniversity of Miami Miller School of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - Sion L. Williams
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of Miami
Miller School of MedicineMiamiFlorida33136USA
| | - Helena M. Solo-Gabriele
- Department of ChemicalEnvironmental and Materials
EngineeringUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33124USA
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Rothman JA, Whiteson KL. Sequencing and Variant Detection of Eight Abundant Plant-Infecting Tobamoviruses across Southern California Wastewater. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0305022. [PMID: 36374107 PMCID: PMC9769696 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03050-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Tobamoviruses are agriculturally relevant viruses that cause crop losses and have infected plants in many regions of the world. These viruses are frequently found in municipal wastewater, likely coming from human diet and industrial waste across wastewater catchment areas. As part of a large wastewater-based epidemiology study across Southern California, we analyzed RNA sequence data from 275 influent wastewater samples obtained from eight wastewater treatment plants with a catchment area of approximately 16 million people from July 2020 to August 2021. We assembled 1,083 high-quality genomes, enumerated viral sequencing reads, and detected thousands of single nucleotide variants from eight common tobamoviruses: bell pepper mottle virus, cucumber green mottle mosaic virus, pepper mild mottle virus, tobacco mild green mosaic virus, tomato brown rugose fruit virus, tomato mosaic virus, tomato mottle mosaic virus, and tropical soda apple mosaic virus. We show that single nucleotide variants had amino acid-altering consequences along with synonymous mutations, which represents potential evolution with functional consequences in genomes of these viruses. Our study shows the importance of wastewater sequencing to monitor the genomic diversity of these plant-infecting viruses, and we suggest that our data could be used to continue tracking the genomic variability of such pathogens. IMPORTANCE Diseases caused by viruses in the genus Tobamovirus cause crop losses around the world. As with other viruses, mutation occurring in the virus's genomes can have functional consequences and may alter viral infectivity. Many of these plant-infecting viruses have been found in wastewater, likely coming from human consumption of infected plants and produce. By sequencing RNA extracted from influent wastewater obtained from eight wastewater treatment plants in Southern California, we assembled high-quality viral genomes and detected thousands of single nucleotide variants from eight tobamoviruses. Our study shows that Tobamovirus genomes vary at many positions, which may have important consequences when designing assays for the detection of these viruses by agricultural or environmental scientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A. Rothman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
| | - Katrine L. Whiteson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA
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Rothman JA, Saghir A, Chung SA, Boyajian N, Dinh T, Kim J, Oval J, Sharavanan V, York C, Zimmer-Faust AG, Langlois K, Steele JA, Griffith JF, Whiteson KL. Longitudinal metatranscriptomic sequencing of Southern California wastewater representing 16 million people from August 2020-21 reveals widespread transcription of antibiotic resistance genes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.08.02.502560. [PMID: 35982656 PMCID: PMC9387120 DOI: 10.1101/2022.08.02.502560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Municipal wastewater provides a representative sample of human fecal waste across a catchment area and contains a wide diversity of microbes. Sequencing wastewater samples provides information about human-associated and medically-important microbial populations, and may be useful to assay disease prevalence and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Here, we present a study in which we used untargeted metatranscriptomic sequencing on RNA extracted from 275 sewage influent samples obtained from eight wastewater treatment plants (WTPs) representing approximately 16 million people in Southern California between August 2020 - August 2021. We characterized bacterial and viral transcripts, assessed metabolic pathway activity, and identified over 2,000 AMR genes/variants across all samples. Because we did not deplete ribosomal RNA, we have a unique window into AMR carried as ribosomal mutants. We show that AMR diversity varied between WTPs and that the relative abundance of many individual AMR genes/variants increased over time and may be connected to antibiotic use during the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, we detected transcripts mapping to human pathogenic bacteria and viruses suggesting RNA sequencing is a powerful tool for wastewater-based epidemiology and that there are geographical signatures to microbial transcription. We captured the transcription of gene pathways common to bacterial cell processes, including central carbon metabolism, nucleotide synthesis/salvage, and amino acid biosynthesis. We also posit that due to the ubiquity of many viruses and bacteria in wastewater, new biological targets for microbial water quality assessment can be developed. To the best of our knowledge, our study provides the most complete longitudinal metatranscriptomic analysis of a large population's wastewater to date and demonstrates our ability to monitor the presence and activity of microbes in complex samples. By sequencing RNA, we can track the relative abundance of expressed AMR genes/variants and metabolic pathways, increasing our understanding of AMR activity across large human populations and sewer sheds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason A. Rothman
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Andrew Saghir
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Seung-Ah Chung
- Genomics High-Throughput Facility, Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Nicholas Boyajian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Thao Dinh
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jinwoo Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Jordan Oval
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Vivek Sharavanan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Courtney York
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | | | - Kylie Langlois
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
| | - Joshua A. Steele
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
| | - John F. Griffith
- Southern California Coastal Water Research Project, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
| | - Katrine L. Whiteson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
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