Profile of the Spatial Distribution Patterns of the Human and Bacteriophage Virome in a Wastewater Treatment Plant Located in the South of Spain

• Main Authors: Cristina García-Fontana, Alejandro Rodriguez-Sanchez, Barbara Muñoz-Palazon, Alejandro Gonzalez-Martinez, Maria Vela-Cano, Jesus Gonzalez-Lopez
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-08-01
• Series: Water
• Subjects: next-generation sequencing; sewage virome; viral distribution; virus; transmission electron microscopy; wastewater treatment plant
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/12/8/2316

In wastewater treatment plants, most microbial characterization has focused on bacterial, archaeal, and fungal populations. Due to the difficult isolation, quantification, and identification of viruses, only a limited number of virome studies associated with wastewater treatment plants have been carried out. However, the virus populations play an important role in the microbial dynamics in wastewater treatment systems and the biosafety of effluents. In this work, the viral members present in influent wastewater, mixed liquor (aerobic bioreactor), excess sludge, and effluent water of a conventional activated sludge system for the treatment of urban wastewater were identified. Viral members were observed by transmission electron microscopy and studied through next-generation sequencing studies. The results showed the dominance of bacteriophages in the viral community in all samples, with the dominant viral phylotype classified as <i>Escherichia coli</i> O157 typing phage 7. Moreover, different human viruses, such as <i>Cynomolgus cytomegalovirus</i> and <i>Gammaherpesvirus</i>, were also detected.