RECEIVER: Risks associated with Evolution in bacterial Communities Exposed to antibiotics: Interactions patterns, Virulence enrichment, Ecological consequences and Resistance development

Research Project, 2024 – 2027

The significance of a one-health approach in tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is being increasingly recognized. Many antibiotic resistance genes originate from environmental bacteria, where they have been naturally selected for even in the absence of anthropogenic antibiotic exposure. This means that they are continuously subject to selective forces in addition to those from antibiotics. This project aims to investigate the eco-evolutionary processes induced by antibiotics in microbial communities in controlled settings. To achieve this, we will use microbial model communities exposed to varying levels of antibiotics and study how this affects the evolution of resistance among opportunistic pathogens part of these communities. We will also test how interactions in these communities are altered, and how this in turn may make the communities less resilient to withstand pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, we will use large-scale sequencing to identify genes important for pathogens to compete with established communities and functionally characterize these genes. Finally, we will use public metagenome and genome data to assess the universality of these findings, and also test antibiotic exposures and addition of pathogens in full-scale microbial communities in microcosms. Overall, the project will, by enhancing our understanding of the broader impacts of antibiotics on microbial ecology and evolution, contribute to better mitigation strategies for AMR in the environment.