Antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in the environment and wastewater treatment systems, many of which are also important pollutant degraders and are difficult to control by traditional disinfection approaches, have become an unprecedented treat to ecological security and human health. Here, we propose the adoption of genetic editing techniques as a highly targeted, efficient and simple tool to control the risks of environmental pathogens at the source. An ‘all-in-one’ plasmid system was constructed in Aeromonas hydrophila to accurately identify and selectively inactivate multiple key virulence factor genes and antibiotic resistance genes via base editing, enabling significantly suppressed bacterial virulence and resistance without impairing their normal phenotype and pollutant-degradation functions. Its safe application for bioaugmented treatment of synthetic textile wastewater was also demonstrated. This genetic-editing technique may offer a promising solution to control the health risks of environmental microorganisms via targeted gene inactivation, thereby facilitating safer application of water treatment biotechnologies.

中文翻译：

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通过基因编辑手段从源头控制水处理生物技术的致病风险

环境和废水处理系统中的抗微生物病原体，其中许多也是重要的污染物降解物，传统消毒方法难以控制，已成为对生态安全和人类健康的前所未有的对待。在这里，我们建议采用基因编辑技术作为一种高度针对性、高效和简单的工具，从源头控制环境病原体的风险。在嗜水气单胞菌中构建了一个“一体化”质粒系统通过碱基编辑准确识别和选择性灭活多个关键毒力因子基因和抗生素抗性基因，在不损害其正常表型和污染物降解功能的情况下显着抑制细菌毒力和抗性。还证明了其在合成纺织废水的生物强化处理中的安全应用。这种基因编辑技术可能为通过靶向基因失活控制环境微生物的健康风险提供有前景的解决方案，从而促进水处理生物技术的更安全应用。