Prevalence of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Resistance and CTX-M-Group 1 Gene in Escherichia coli from the Water and Sediment of Urbanized Mangrove Ecosystems of Kerala.

The study aimed to determine the prevalence of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase resistance and CTX-M-group 1 gene in Escherichia coli from the water and sediment of three urbanized mangrove ecosystems of Kerala. A total of 119 E. coli isolates were screened for antibiotic susceptibility to 16 antibiotics. According to the phylogenetic analysis of E. coli isolates, nonpathogenic group A and pathogenic group D (29.4% and 23.5%) were the predominant phylotypes found in water samples. The most frequent phylotypes found in sediment samples were nonpathogenic groups A and B1 (27.9% and 26.4%). The highest incidence of antibiotic resistance in E. coli was against cefotaxime and colistin (100%). A significant difference in the prevalence of CTX-M-group 1 gene was observed among E. coli isolates in water samples (p < 0.05). The results indicate a high prevalence of ß-lactamase harboring E. coli in the mangrove ecosystems that can hamper mangrove-dependent aquaculture practices and human health.

Bacterial diversity in the aquatic system in India based on metagenome analysis-a critical review.

Microbial analysis has become one of the most critical areas in aquatic ecology and a crucial component for assessing the contribution of microbes in food web dynamics and biogeochemical processes. Initial research was focused on estimating the abundance and distribution of the microbes using microscopy and culture-based analysis, which are undoubtedly complex tasks. Over the past few decades, microbiologists have endeavored to apply and extend molecular techniques to address pertinent questions related to the function and metabolism of microbes in aquatic ecology. Metagenomics analysis has revolutionized aquatic ecology studies involving the investigation of the genome of a mixed community of organisms in an ecosystem to identify microorganisms, their functionality, and the discovery of novel proteins. This review discusses the metagenomics analysis of bacterial diversity in and around different aquatic systems in India.