Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

The Role of free Extracellular DNA in determining The Environmental Antibiotic Resistome

Project description

The utility of eDNA for the spread of antibiotic resistance

Research and innovation bring about massive changes to various sectors and are usually in high demand. One example might be the case of the use of free extracellular DNA (eDNA). This is neglected genetic material that has been dissolved in waters or soils after being excreted by microorganisms because of the lysis of their cells. This DNA can often make up a significant percentage of DNA in disturbed waters and is usually composed of fragments with mobile genetic elements and resistance genes. The EU-funded REDTEAR project will undertake an in-depth study to improve our understanding of the composition and dynamics of the antibiotic resistome in aquatic environments. It will identify this process and clarify the purpose of this DNA.

Objective

Free extracellular DNA (FED) is DNA dissolved in waters and in soils, where it arrives after being excreted by living
organisms or following the disruption of living cells. FED can be the most prominent fraction of DNA in waters subjected to
strong disturbances, where the mortality rate of microorganisms is high, e.g. wastewater treatment plants effluents. FED are
composed by a variety of DNA fragments including resistance genes and mobile elements. There are early evidences than
FED can represent a very important, although neglected, source of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the environment,
where the bacterial community can access FED and incorporate extracellular DNA by horizontal gene transfer.
If this process will be confirmed and quantified by dedicated researches, our understanding of the cycle of antibiotic
resistances into the environment and back to human pathogens could change dramatically, calling for a whole rethinking of
the wastewater treatments nowadays applied. The Project REDTEAR will tackle the issue and will clarify the role of FED in
the spread and the persistence of ARGs in open waters in central Europe, offering a unique opportunity for a correct
management of this problem, already identified as one of the major challenges for human health in the next century.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 183 473,28
Address
PIAZZALE ALDO MORO 7
00185 Roma
Italy

See on map

Region
Centro (IT) Lazio Roma
Activity type
Research Organisations
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 183 473,28
My booklet 0 0