New research reveals that microbes in urban environments are evolving to withstand the very cleaning agents designed to eliminate them. The study also uncovers new strains in Hong Kong, previously only found in the Antarctic desert soil.
Since the recent pandemic, our use of disinfectants has surged, but could our push for sterile urban environments be backfiring?
A new study published in the journal Microbiome has identified novel strains of microbes that have adapted to use the limited resources available in cities and shown that our everyday behavior is changing the makeup of microorganisms in indoor environments.
“Built environments offer distinct conditions that set them apart from natural and engineered habitats,” says Dr. Xinzhao Tong, an assistant professor at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), China, and lead author of the study.
“Areas with many buildings are low in the traditional nutrients and essential resources microbes need for survival, so these built environments have a unique microbiome.
“Our use of cleaning and other manufactured products creates a unique setting that puts selective pressures on microbes, which they must adapt to or be eliminated, but the mechanisms by which microbes adapt and survive in built environments are poorly understood,” Dr. Tong explains.
City dwellers
The researchers collected 738 samples from a variety of built environments, including subways, residences, public facilities, piers, and human skin in Hong Kong. They then used shotgun metagenomic sequencing to analyze the microbes’ genomic content and understand how they have adapted to the challenging urban conditions.
The team identified 363 microbial strains that have not been previously identified that live on our skin and the environment around us. Some of these strains’ genomes contained genes for metabolizing manufactured products found in cities and using them as carbon and energy sources. This includes the discovery of a strain of Candidatus phylum Eremiobacterota, previously only reported in Antarctic desert soil.
Specialized metabolic capacities of microbes in oligotrophic built environments. Tong et al. “Diverse and specialized metabolic capabilities of microbes in oligotrophic built environments.” Microbiome (2024). Credit: AJE Video Bytes, in partnership with Springer Nature Group
Dr Tong says: “The genome of this novel strain of Eremiobacterota enables it to metabolize ammonium ions found in cleaning products. The strain also has genes for alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases to break down residual alcohol found in common disinfectants.
“Microbes possessing enhanced capabilities to utilize limited resources and tolerate manufactured products, such as disinfectants and metals, out-compete non-resistant strains, enhancing their survival and even evolution within built environments. They could, therefore, pose health risks if they are pathogenic.”
The team identified 11 unique, previously uncharacterized strains of Micrococcus luteus, typically non-pathogenic but capable of causing opportunistic infections in immunocompromised individuals.
“The issue of their adaptation to our behavior becomes particularly critical in clinical settings where hospitals serve as hotspots for diverse pathogens that cause hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). HAIs pose a significant threat, particularly in intensive care units where mortality rates can reach up to 30%,” says Dr Tong.
A balancing act
The researchers also characterized two novel strains of Patescibacteria, known as “nanobacteria”, as they have tiny genomes that do not contain many genes for producing their own resources.
Dr Tong says: “Some strains of Patescibacteria are considered parasitic as they rely on bacterial hosts to supply their nutrients. However, in this study, the researchers found that one of the nanobacteria strains, recovered from human skin, contains genes for the biosynthesis of carotenoids and ubiquinone. These antioxidant compounds are vital to humans, and we typically acquire them, especially carotenoids, through our diets, suggesting a possible mutualistic relationship between bacteria and us as their hosts.”
This enhanced understanding of microbial metabolic functions within built environments helps develop strategies to create a healthy indoor ecosystem of microbes for us to live alongside.
The team is now investigating the transmission and evolution of resistance in pathogenic microbes in intensive care units that are exposed to stringent and extensive disinfectant practices. They hope to improve infection control practices and increase the safety of clinical environments for healthcare workers and patients.
Reference: “Diverse and specialized metabolic capabilities of microbes in oligotrophic built environments” by Xinzhao Tong, Danli Luo, Marcus H. Y. Leung, Justin Y. Y. Lee, Zhiyong Shen, Wengyao Jiang, Christopher E. Mason and Patrick K. H. Lee, 17 October 2024, Microbiome.
DOI: 10.1186/s40168-024-01926-6
Funding: Hong Kong Research Grants Council Research Impact 642 Fund, Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, Hong Kong Research Grants Council General Research Fund
News
Amazonian Chocolate Could Become the Next Superfood, Scientists Say
New research into Amazonian cocoa reveals that its value may extend beyond flavor alone. Chocolate from the Amazon is already known worldwide for its distinctive taste, but new research suggests it may offer even [...]
Nanobody repairs misfolded CFTR inside cells, boosting function in cystic fibrosis
A tiny antibody component could fundamentally transform the treatment of cystic fibrosis: For the first time, researchers have succeeded in developing a so-called nanobody that penetrates directly into human cells and can repair the [...]
20-Year Study Finds Daily Multivitamins Don’t Extend Lifespan
A large, decades-long study of over 390,000 U.S. adults challenges a widespread assumption about daily multivitamins. Multivitamins are a daily habit for millions of Americans, often taken with the expectation that they will extend [...]
Novel Investment Paradigms for Regenerative Healthcare Ecosystems
Introduction The transition toward regenerative healthcare ecosystems—anchored in wellness optimization, disease prevention, eradication strategies, and healthy longevity—necessitates a structural reconfiguration of capital architectures, governance models, and incentive design. Regenerative healthcare, by definition, transcends episodic [...]
What If Consciousness Exists Beyond Your Brain
Scientists still don’t know how consciousness emerges from the brain. New ideas suggest it may not emerge at all, but instead be a basic feature of reality. Is consciousness produced by the brain, or [...]
Scientists Discover Way To Treat Lung Cancer and Its Deadly Side Effect Together
A new approach using lipid nanoparticles to deliver genetic material is showing promise in tackling two major challenges in lung cancer at once.Researchers at Oregon State University have designed a new way to tackle two of [...]
Saunas Activate Your Immune System
A brief sauna session may quietly mobilize the immune system. A sauna session may do more than raise your heart rate and body temperature. A new study from Finland found that it also briefly [...]
Why music from your youth still has such an intense effect years later: A psychological perspective
You're driving, and suddenly a familiar song fills the air. Before you even know it, a wave of emotions comes over you – not just memories, but a deep, almost physical feeling. This powerful [...]
AI to antibody in days: breaking the wet lab bottleneck via high-throughput integration
The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in drug design has fundamentally shifted from a speculative tool to a central pillar of pharmaceutical research and development (R&D). Sino Biological plays a critical role in this [...]
Regenerative Healthcare by Design: Engineering Health-Centric Buildings and Urban Ecosystems
Introduction The next evolution of healthcare will not be confined to hospitals, clinics, or episodic interventions—it will be embedded into the infrastructure of everyday life. Regenerative health ecosystems require a systemic re-architecture of how [...]
Scientists Warn: Humanity Has Pushed the Planet Past Its Limits
Human population and consumption have surpassed Earth’s limits, increasing risks to climate and global stability. The Earth is already operating beyond its capacity to sustainably support the global population, according to new research highlighting [...]
Breakthrough Study Reveals Why Damaged Nerves Struggle To Heal
A newly identified molecular mechanism reveals how neurons weigh survival against repair after injury. Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have identified a molecular switch in neurons that limits the regrowth of [...]
Popular Vitamin B3 Supplements May Help Cancer Cells Survive, Scientists Warn
A new study raises important questions about widely used NAD+ supplements, suggesting that compounds often taken to boost energy and support healthy aging may have unintended consequences in cancer treatment. Millions of Americans take [...]
Scientists Discover Cancer Tumors Are “Addicted” to This Common Antioxidant
Cancer cells may be exploiting a common antioxidant as fuel, revealing a potential weakness that future therapies could target. Cancer cells may be tapping into an unexpected energy source: an antioxidant long associated with [...]
Nanotube injector transfers cytoplasmic contents and organelles between living cells safely
Cells are not isolated units; they continuously exchange proteins, genetic material, and even entire organelles with their neighbors. Intercellular transfer influences how tissues develop, respond to stress, and repair damage. In certain cancers, for [...]
CEO of America’s largest public hospital system is ready to replace radiologists with AI
The chief executive of America’s largest public hospital system says he is prepared to start replacing radiologists with artificial intelligence in some circumstances, once the regulatory landscape catches up. Mitchell H. Katz, MD, president [...]
