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ABSTRACT The rising challenge of antibiotic resistance, accelerated by mobile genetic elements carrying antibiotic resistance genes, necessitates effective and environmentally friendly
control strategies. Here we present an approach employing _Shewanella oneidensis_, transformed into an efficient whole-cell DNA scavenger by expressing a highly active nuclease. This
approach aimed at enzymatically eliminating cell-free mobile genetic elements in wastewater treatment plants. The DNA scavenger demonstrated high efficiency and ultrafast degradation with a
model multiple antibiotic resistance plasmid. Experiments across various dosages and hydraulic retention times showed substantial antibiotic resistance gene reduction, even at minimal
dosages. Effectiveness was confirmed in practical scenarios involving return activated sludge and secondary clarifier effluent, where a low dose of 0.08 U ml−1 achieved over 99.92% removal
in 4 h and almost complete inactivation in 6 h. Simulations showed consistent, high efficiency across various wastewater treatment plant reactors. These findings establish enzymatic
scavenging as a new strategy for managing the antibiotic resistance spread. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your
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* Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS THE ROLE OF CHEMOTAXIS AND EFFLUX PUMPS ON NITRATE
REDUCTION IN THE TOXIC REGIONS OF A CIPROFLOXACIN CONCENTRATION GRADIENT Article 29 April 2021 ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE PROFILE OF NITROGEN-METABOLIZING MICROBES IN ANOXIC‒OXIC PROCESSES FOR
SWINE WASTEWATER TREATMENT Article Open access 20 April 2025 CHLORINE DISINFECTION FACILITATES NATURAL TRANSFORMATION THROUGH ROS-MEDIATED OXIDATIVE STRESS Article Open access 03 May 2021
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420–423 (2019). CAS PubMed Google Scholar Download references ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS H.-Q.Y. and Q.T.’s team members were financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of
China (22322610, 22176184, 51821006 and 52192684), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2018YFA0901301 and 2019YFA0905503), the Program for Changjiang Scholars and
Innovative Research Team in University from the Ministry of Education of China, and the USTC Research Funds of the Double First-Class Initiative (YD2400002005). S.H. was supported by the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Superfund Basic Research Program of the USA (NIH-2P42ES004911-27A1-Project4). AUTHOR INFORMATION Author notes * These authors contributed
equally: Yang Li, Syed A. Hashsham. AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China Yang Li & Hong Sun * Department of
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA Syed A. Hashsham * CAS Key Laboratory of Urban Pollutant Conversion, Department of Environmental Science
and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China Fei-Fei Chen, Qiang Tang & Han-Qing Yu * Center for Microbial Ecology, Michigan State University, East
Lansing, MI, USA James M. Tiedje Authors * Yang Li View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Syed A. Hashsham View author publications You can
also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Fei-Fei Chen View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Hong Sun View author publications
You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Qiang Tang View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Han-Qing Yu View author
publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * James M. Tiedje View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS
Q.T. devised the concept. Y.L., S.A.H., F.-F.C. and H.S. performed the DNA scavenger construction and evaluation tests, and analysed the results. Q.T. and Y.L. wrote the manuscript. Q.T.,
H.-Q.Y. and J.M.T. revised the manuscript. CORRESPONDING AUTHORS Correspondence to Qiang Tang, Han-Qing Yu or James M. Tiedje. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no
competing interests. PEER REVIEW PEER REVIEW INFORMATION _Nature Water_ thanks Feng Ju and Benno Ter Kuile for their contribution to the peer review of this work. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
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Supplementary Methods, Figs. 1–17, Tables 1–4 and References. SUPPLEMENTARY DATA 1 Statistical source data for Supplementary Figs. 7–12, 14, 15 and 17. SUPPLEMENTARY DATA 2 Source data for
Supplementary Figs. 2–5 and 13. SOURCE DATA SOURCE DATA FIG. 2 Statistical source data. SOURCE DATA FIG. 3 Statistical source data. SOURCE DATA FIG. 3 Full-length, unprocessed gels or blots.
SOURCE DATA FIG. 4 Statistical source data. SOURCE DATA FIG. 5 Statistical source data. SOURCE DATA FIG. 5 Full-length, unprocessed gels or blots. SOURCE DATA FIG. 6 Statistical source
data. SOURCE DATA FIG. 6 Full-length, unprocessed gels or blots. SOURCE DATA FIG. 7 Statistical source data. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other
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article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law. Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Li, Y., Hashsham, S.A., Chen, FF. _et
al._ Engineered DNA scavenger for mitigating antibiotic resistance proliferation in wastewater treatment. _Nat Water_ 2, 758–769 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00289-4 Download
citation * Received: 05 January 2024 * Accepted: 15 July 2024 * Published: 19 August 2024 * Issue Date: August 2024 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00289-4 SHARE THIS ARTICLE
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