Genetic potential for exopolysaccharide synthesis in activated sludge bacteria uncovered by genome-resolved metagenomics

A good floc formation of activated sludge (AS) is crucial for solid-liquid separation and production of clean effluent during wastewater treatment. Floc formation is partly controlled by self-produced extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) such as exopolysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids. Little is known about the composition, structure, and function of EPS in AS and which bacteria produce them. To address this knowledge gap for the exopolysaccharides, we took advantage of 1083 high-quality metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) obtained from 23 Danish wastewater treatment plants. We investigated the genomic potential for exopolysaccharide biosynthesis in bacterial species typical in AS systems based on genome mining and gene synteny analyses. Putative gene clusters associated with the biosynthesis of alginate, cellulose, curdlan, diutan, hyaluronic acids, Pel, poly-β-1,6-N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (PNAG), Psl, S88 capsular polysaccharide, salecan, succinoglycan, and xanthan were identified and linked to individual MAGs, providing a comprehensive overview of the genome-resolved potential for these exopolysaccharides in AS bacteria. The approach and results provide a starting point for a more comprehensive understanding of EPS composition in wastewater treatment systems, which may facilitate a more refined regulation of the activated sludge process for improved stability

Genetic potential for exopolysaccharide synthesis in activated sludge bacteria uncovered by genome-resolved metagenomics

Raw data used for the article "Genetic potential for exopolysaccharide synthesis in activated sludge bacteria uncovered by genome-resolved metagenomics" by Morten Kam Dahl Dueholm, Maaike Besteman, Emil Juel Zeuner, Marie Riisgaard-Jensen, Morten Eneberg Nielsen, Sofie Zacho Vestergaard, Søren Heidelbach, Nicolai Sundgaard Bekker and Per Halkjær Nielsen.</p

Study protocol for "A new method using rapid Nanopore metagenomic cell-free DNA sequencing to diagnose bloodstream infections: a prospective observational study"

Detailed study protocol for a clinical study where Nanopore sequencing was used to diagnose patients in an emergency ward setting admitted upon suspicion of a bloodstream infection