PRIN-201728ZA49

Programme: PRIN: PROGETTI DI RICERCA DI RILEVANTE INTERESSE NAZIONALE – Bando 2017

Project title: Emergence of virulence and antibiotic-resistance vectors in coastal and deep sea marine environments and analysis of the mechanisms and conditions underlying their spread and evolution

Acronym: 201728ZA49

Duration: 25/09/2019 – 25/03/2023

Project budget: € 499.355

ISMAR budget: € 12.681

Web site: n/a

Summary:
The project aims at investigating the role of marine environment in the emergence and spread of virulence (VIR) and antibiotic-resistance (AR) genes within microbial communities via human and natural pressure. The study will focus on microbial assemblages thriving in anthropogenically affected coastal areas such as harbours and those in proximity of hospitals and aquacultures, where the load of both pathogens and antibiotics is expected. Natural sediments will be studied by biomolecular means to obtain a wide array of VIR, AR genes and mobile elements. Moreover, specific matrices, such as chitinous and marine plastic debris, which may serve as a protective environment enabling the microorganisms to form biofilms and facilitating their dispersal, will be also studied. Metadata will be utilised to focus on the identification of several transmittable elements as representative targets. Cultural methods will be applied to isolate novel bacterial strains harbouring VIR and AR genes as candidate vehicles within the selected areas. Information deriving from cultivable strains will be further integrated to the diversity profiles based on molecular methods. Chitin and microplastics will be tested at mesocosm scale as biofilm-favouring substrates enhancing genomic exchange events.

Contact person in ISMAR:

stefano.aliani@sp.ismar.cnr.it;

alessandra.conversi@sp.ismar.cnr.it

Partnership:

1. CNR-ISP (Italy)

2. Università degli Studi di Genova (Italy)

3. Università Politecnica delle Marche (Italy)