Metal-AMR co-selection at contaminated sites
Test whether metal contamination selects for AMR genes, mechanisms, or support networks across DOE-relevant environments.
Opportunity Hooks
Open Tensions
Metal-AMR co-selection at contaminated sites
Direction
Ask whether metal-contaminated sites select for antibiotic resistance genes, mechanisms, mobile contexts, or cofitness support networks.
Why It Is High Value
The observatory has AMR clusters, metal fitness evidence, environmental resistome results, and ENIGMA contaminated-site context. The integration is scientifically important and practically relevant.
Minimum Test
Compare AMR mechanism burden or composition across metal-contamination gradients while controlling for taxonomy, environment class, and genome quality.
Caveat
Co-selection is a hypothesis, not a default interpretation. It needs null models and contamination metadata.