Capitol News

Michigan State University researchers have identified a potential method to curb antibiotic resistance by deploying "DNA scavengers" in wastewater treatment plants. The study, led by Syed Hashsham, MSU professor of civil and environmental engineering, and James Tiedje, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus, discovered an enzyme capable of breaking down antibiotic-resistant DNA strands present in wastewater.

The enzyme, which disrupts the DNA before bacteria can acquire antibiotic-resistant properties, was detailed in findings published on August 19 in Nature Water. The research also involved faculty from the University of Science and Technology of China. Hashsham emphasized the need for further testing to optimize this technology as a wastewater disinfectant.

“As with any new discovery, there is more work to be done to optimize the technology,” Hashsham stated. “But it is really a very novel technique.”

Antibiotic resistance has been a persistent issue since penicillin's invention, exacerbated by misuse and overprescribing. Bacteria adapt quickly to new antibiotics, often within five to eight years, rendering treatments less effective. This newly discovered technology could help maintain the efficacy of existing antibiotics.

Wastewater treatment plants are significant reservoirs for antibiotic-resistant microbes due to infected individuals releasing bacteria through feces. Mobile genetic elements carrying antibiotic-resistant genes are also present in wastewater and can be acquired by pathogenic bacteria.

The researchers utilized restriction enzymes known for cutting genetic material into non-functional pieces. They specifically cultivated Shewanella oneidensis bacteria to produce a nuclease enzyme or "DNA scavenger." This approach proved economically feasible for wastewater treatment without adverse interactions with other disinfection chemicals.

When added to wastewater in targeted amounts, the enzyme effectively destroyed almost all mobile genetic elements within four hours and completely inactivated them within six hours.

“More research with larger scale systems and more complex wastewater matrices is needed to optimize this discovery, make it compatible with existing disinfection practices and be cost-effective,” Hashsham noted.

Future steps include testing the DNA scavenger on other mobile genetic elements. While some researchers see potential for this enzyme as an alternative to chlorine or other disinfectants in wastewater treatment, Hashsham remains cautious but optimistic about its role in combating antibiotic resistance.